


A False Sense Of Security

by avellere



Category: Jak and Daxter
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Gen, Original Characters - Freeform, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-09
Updated: 2008-06-20
Packaged: 2017-10-13 03:02:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 28,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/132105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avellere/pseuds/avellere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They had expected safety. They had thought they would be accepted by friendly people and achieve true happiness. Too bad they got the opposite. Set during Jak 3 and contains major spoilers for game. Written in the perspective of, and contains, Original Characters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

" _No! Don't!" I screamed at the creature, but it ignored me, and ran after a nearby civilian. It leaped upon him and began tearing into his throat. Blood sprayed out in a fountain and the man stopped struggling and went limp. The creature, sensing that his prey was dead, raised his head and howled in triumph, an eerie, haunting sound._

 _I screamed. The creature, hearing me, stopped. Its eyes locked onto mine, and it began running towards me. I turned and ran as fast as I could, jumping over bodies, weaving my way in and out of the crowd of frightened people, trying to get away. Behind me, I could hear the creature's harsh, heavy breathing as it fought its way through, intent on killing its new victim._

 _Something slammed into my back, causing me to fall forward. I hit the ground on my chest. I rolled over and tried to get up, but it had me pinned down. I looked up at my attacker and saw the creature. It gazed at me with a hungry, cold look._

" _No…Please…Brother…" I pleaded, but again the creature disregarded me. There was a sudden pain into my neck, a flash of crimson, then darkness._

OOO

My eyes flew open and I sat up, gasping, covered in cold sweat. For a minute, I panicked, wondering where I was. Then reality set in and as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw that there was no monster, no rampage, nothing at all. Just me and my overactive imagination again. Breathing a sigh of relief, I laid back against the pack I used as a pillow. In front of me, a small fire burned brightly, casting shadows around everything it touched.

As I gazed at the stars twinkling brightly up ahead, I thought of why I was here: For _him_. For his protection. To shield him from the horrors that I had experienced all those years ago. The abuse, the insults, the pain… And not only because of him, but for myself… My own personal reasons…

Unable to go back to sleep, I sat up again, and withdrew from my belt one of my pistols and a small rag. Gripping the handle firmly in my hand, I began to polish it, the rag gliding smoothly across the muzzle down to the butt. While my head bent down and my eyes focused on the task, my mind was elsewhere, drifting back to my horrible dream.

A soft thudding sound made me look up. My head turned right, where a small clump of bushes lay, and where the noise had come from. Pausing in my work, I rose to my feet and raised the gun, my index finger curled around the trigger.

A figure stepped forward, and I lowered my weapon.

"Oh, it's you." I muttered. "What took you so long, Zephyr? Did you get lost or something?"

The wolf, in response, rolled its bright blue eyes at me, then trotted over to the fire and dropped the dead Kanga-rats onto the ground. Instead of lying down, it sat back on its haunches, closed its eyes and concentrated.

The grey fur shrank back into its body, horns receded into its head, its feathered wings shriveled and melted and its snout withdrew. Fangs and claws lengthened and split, becoming hands with overlong, pointed nails and smooth, clean teeth. The transformation was complete, and a young man lay gasping on the sandy ground.

He sat up, still panting, and looked at me. His eyes, now a dark violet, held no worry. Brushing aside a lock of silvery-white hair, tied into a short braid, he spat onto the ground, cleared his throat and spoke. His voice was mellow, calm and held a note of laughter in it.

"Calm down, Selik. There's nothing to worry about, all right? I'm here."

"Sorry." I muttered. "It's just that… you're younger than me, and I worry about you."

He sighed "Only by an hour." He replied, taking out a knife and beginning to skin a Kanga-rat. Once done, he picked up a long stick, stuck the meat over it and tossed it over to me.

"Whatever." I said. I caught the stick easily and held it over the fire. Zephyr skinned another rat, stuck it over another stick he found and held it over the flames too.

For a while, we didn't say anything, as we turned our food over the fire. When it was ready, we took it off the sticks and ate it silently, still not saying a single word to each other. Then, as I was nibbling on a small, scrawny leg, my twin spoke again.

"I visited the pack." He said softly.

"What! You mean- they're here!" I exclaimed, shocked, thinking that the wolves of the Midnight Clan had decided to move here.

"No." He replied, obviously reading my thoughts. "The Mountain pack was nearby where I was hunting, so I decided to visit them and ask them how my group was doing."

I could tell by the tone of his voice that something was troubling him. His eyes were clouded with worry and there was a slight frown on his lips.

"What'd they say?" I asked. He hesitated.

"Spit it out!" I snapped.

"Fine." He took a deep breath, and then said "They said that Celan was still missing…"

"And?"

"They also said that if I or anyone else didn't find him soon, then Traiz is going to become leader."

" _What!_ " I yelled. "That lying, conceiving, stealing, son of a-"

"Selik." Zephyr cut across me gently. "He is a brave and cunning wolf. He deserves to be leader. And besides, he's Pure…unlike me." He added bitterly.

"Don't say that!" I snapped. "You are better than him, and you know that!"

My brother smiled. "Thanks, sis."

"No problem." I replied. "So, where are we headed tomorrow?"

"There's a place named Spargus City. It's next to Haven City. We'll stay there for a night, and then head over to Haven in the morning."

"Sounds like good plan." I agreed. "You get some sleep and I'll take watch, okay?"

"As you wish." He replied, giving me a mock bow. I laughed. We finished our food and then stored the rest in the pack for later. Then, as my brother lay down, curled into a ball and dozed off, and I sat with my legs crossed, my back to the warm, blazing fire, my mind drifted back to my nightmare. Had it been him that I had dreamed about, my own brother? Was it he who had lost control of his alter ego, had ran though the streets, terrorizing its citizens? And what city had we been in? It was a place I had never visited before, one that held a hidden danger, a dangerous secret. A secret that even its own citizens didn't know.

Whatever, and wherever my dream had been, I just hoped for one thing.

That it didn't come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first attempt at a series. I know it was boring; I will try to make it more exciting in the next chapter. Also, I won't be able to update very much, especially since we're nearing the school season. I will try though. Please review, I want to know if this is good or not. Oh, and I do NOT own Jak, Daxter, or the rest of the cast. They belong to Naughty Dog. I only own Selik and Zephyr. They're twins by the way. Fraternal, not identical.


	2. Chapter 2

Dawn arose the next morning, its light racing across the ground, filling everything with a golden glow. That also included my eyelids.

Groaning, I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Opening them, I blinked and looked around the campsite. The fire had gone out, leaving nothing but a small pile of ash. Next to me, my brother lay, curled into a ball on the sand, his head resting on his travel pack. I smiled and extended my hand in his direction, resting it on his shoulder. Gripping it gently but firmly, I thrust my hand forward and back, his head going along with the movement like a bobble head, his eyes still closed.

"Come on, _wake up_ Zephyr." I muttered, shaking him harder. He didn't stir. Growling, I raised my hand, stiffened it, and then brought it down, none too gently, on his cheek.

"Ouch!" He cried, sitting bolt up straight, his eyes wide open. His hand slid to his face, rubbing the sore spot. "What did you do that for?"

"For not waking up." I replied coolly. Giving me a dirty look, he sighed, pushed himself to his feet, walked over to the fire, grabbed a stick, and started poking it, trying to revive the flames. Seeing nothing had happened, he squatted, reached forward, and cupped the ashes into his palms.

"Hot! Hot!" He yelped, yanking his hands away, so that the gray, grainy substance fell onto the sand. I rolled my eyes at him, then stood up, grabbed some sticks that lay nearby, then walked over to the fire and dropped the branches into the circle.

"Thanks…" He muttered. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out some tinder and flint, he shifted the flint over to his left hand and struck them together. Sparks emitted from the two rocks flew through the air and landed on the sticks, igniting them and causing a tiny flame to appear. Eating its way though the wood, it grew quickly. Soon, a small fire blazed brightly, heat brushing our faces.

Grinning, Zephyr walked back to where his pack lay, and moments later, both of us were sitting near the fire, cooking our breakfast, which were last night's Kanga-Rats. Peeling off the meat from our sticks, we gobbled them down, never pausing to say a word in-between.

Finished, I tossed my stick into the fire, than strode back to where my pack lay. After smoothing out the place where I had lain, I picked up my backpack and slung it across my shoulder. Glancing over to my brother, I saw that he had done the same, and was now in the process of extinguishing the fire. I waited. After kicking sand over the burnt logs, he turned and walked over to me. Withdrawing a map from a pocket on his pack, he unfolded it and showed it to me.

"It says that Spargus City is north of here." He said, pointing at where a small building lay on the right side labeled "Garage". I nodded.

"Then let's go!" I cried and started running in that direction, eager to find some shelter. Behind me, I heard my twin cry "Hey, wait!" before giving up, and racing after me.

Soon a large door came into view. I walked up to it, giving Zephyr time to catch up. I raised my left hand, which was curled into a fist. Before I could knock, however, the bottom of the door slid to the sides and the top upward. Surprised, I stepped forward into the room.

It really was a garage. Vehicles bordered us, hand-crafted and ready to be used. And it was obviously used for hard, dirty work, for weapons were mounted on the front of each.

"Hey sis, wait up!" My twin called from the rear. He ran up, panting, then stopped and stared. "Whoa…cool!" He cried.

I gave him an annoyed look. How stupid can he possibly be? We were in an entirely new city, and the first thing he does is admire someone's cars? I sighed inwardly. Idiot…

"What the- who the hell are yah?"

Startled, I turned. A man was walking towards us. A very _big_ man. He was dressed in a blue tunic, and shorts. He also had no hair and a blonde mustache on his face. He was carrying a weapon of some sort, a spear it looked like. On his feet were ankle-high boots.

"Is this Spargus City?" I asked him.

"I asked ya a question first. Now answer it!" He growled.

I narrowed my eyes. Ten seconds into the conversation, and already I didn't like him. Then again, I doubted that _anyone_ liked this guy.

"We're travelers." Zephyr quickly explained. I guess he had sensed my dislike towards the man. "Came here looking for shelter."

"So, you're newbie's eh?" He mused. "The name is Kleiver. And yeah, you're in Spargus, alright."

I breathed a sigh of relief. So the map had been right. Unlike all the other times we had depended on it…

"Beyond that door is the city. This is just the garage. I'll let you pass." He said, gesturing to the door behind him.

I nodded and started forward, but then he stepped in front of me, blocking my way. I stopped and looked up at him, my eyes narrowed down to slits.

"Then again," He said. "I _do_ need some help around here. I have a lot of things to do around here, anyway. And besides," He added with a grin, "You two have some proving to do!"

I growled. This wasn't what I had in mind. I opened my mouth to protest-

"Fine, we'll do it. What's the job?"

Surprised and outraged, I looked back at my twin and glared at him. He said nothing, merely shrugged. I turned and set my gaze back on Kleiver, waiting for what he had to say.

"Let's see…" He muttered, "How about you two collect some artifacts for me? His Majesty requested some, and I might need a few more, in case…" His voice trailed off, and he nodded.

"All right. You-" He pointed to me, "Can use the Sand Shark-" He pointed to a small, tan-colored vehicle lying near the right side of the city entrance.

"And you-" He pointed to my twin, "Can use that one over there." He gestured to a vehicle sitting on the right side near the entrance to the desert.

"How many artifacts do we have to collect?" I asked.

"Twenty. That means ten from each of ya." He replied. I sighed and nodded. Walking over to the vehicle and peering inside, I saw a pair of goggles sitting in the driver's seat. Guessing that they were to keep the sand out of my eyes, I picked them up and tied them on. Instantly, my sight was slightly blurred. Smiling, I opened the car door, sat in and closed it. Adjusting my feet so that they fit the pedals, I switched on the engine and drove forward.

The door opened, revealing nothing but sand. I slammed my foot down on the acceleration pedal, and was immediately shoved against my seat as the vehicle shot forward. I weaved in and out between the plants, searching for my target.

A golden beam of light out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. I turned the Sand Shark around and headed straight for it. As I came closer, the light slowly dimmed, revealing an object on the ground. I was less than three feet away, when suddenly, something slammed into my car, knocking me off course. I spun around and righted it. Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw who my attacker was.

It was another car, though not my brother's. Colored a dark red, it was barely noticeable against the sand and sun. Spikes covered its wheels, making it impossible for close combat. And it was coming straight towards me!

Lasers came out from the front of the vehicle, pelting mine, leaving dents on it. Growling, I pressed a button on the steering wheel. Bullets rained down on the enemy's car, making small clanking noises as they made contact. The red car began to smoke. Small flames emitted from the engine. Then, it exploded, leaving nothing behind except small pieces of twisted metal, and a glowing red ball.

Curious, I drove towards it. The vehicle went through it, absorbing the substance into itself. At the same time, a small button lit up on the steering wheel. It read "Turbo activated." I pressed it.

Bright red flames shot out of the back, slamming me into my seat. I could hear nothing but the wind whooshing in my ears, could not taste nothing but the sandy air. I couldn't even control the vehicle! All I could do is hang on and pray that it would run out soon.

And it did. As I came closer to the object, the fire slowly faded away, coming to an abrupt halt a few inches from it. Slowly, my legs trembling, I opened the door, got out, walked over to the artifact, and picked it up. Then I walked back my ride, got back in, threw the gold, triangle-shaped object into the passenger seat, turned the engine back on and resumed driving.

Time passed quickly, and soon I had a few more artifacts. Occasionally, I would pass Zephyr, and every time I did, he would wave at me. I would simply grin back and give him a thumbs-up, and then continue on.

Whooping as I leaped over a river of water, I snatched up my last artifact, then wheeled the Sand Shark around and headed back for the garage. As I came closer, I saw my twin standing in front of the entrance, waving at me. Smirking, I drove in, parked the vehicle, turned off the engine, and got out, carrying an armful of artifacts. Handing them over to Kleiver, I waited as he counted them.

"Hmph. Both of you passed." He growled. I detected a note of delight in his voice, and my smirk grew wider. Seeing it, he growled, "Don't get all happy about it! You just got lucky, that's all!" My smile faded.

"Whatever." I muttered. He ignored it. "There's an inn west of the Light Eco vent. You'll be able to see it easily. Next morning, you can take the transport outside. It will take you to Haven City." He said.

"Thanks." I replied. Then, Zephyr and I walked towards the door on the other side. It opened, revealing Spargus City.

It was a modern place, with buildings made of stones and brick. There was a path made of rock that split in different directions, leading down to alleys and though the town. Citizens walked around us, carrying weapons, eying each other suspiciously, as though someone might try to steal from them.

Spargus City was such a friendly and welcome place…

"Hey, look!" Zephyr cried, pointing to a large green-colored lizard wearing a small saddle and reins. He grinned at me. "Maybe we can ride them!" He ran over to it. Hooking one foot into a dangling strap, he hoisted himself onto it. Snapping the reins, he rode over to me.

"You should try this! It's fun!" He exclaimed. I rolled my eyes, then walked over to a blue-colored one, and hopped onto it. It gave a screech of protest, but I ignored it. Flicking the reins against its back, I rode over to my brother. With a nod, I started off, with Zephyr hot on my heels.

Soon, I spotted a beam of white light coming from the ground, surrounded by several water pumps. Thinking it to be the Light Eco vent, I turned left and rode for a while. Then, seeing a large building, I dismounted, walked the rest of the way and opened the door.

Warm air blew from inside. It was crowded, with people everywhere, sitting at tables, eating and chatting, their weapons next to them. I walked over to the counter, where a rough-faced man sat, and busy counting money while smoking a cigar. Upon seeing us, he raised his head.

"Yes?" He asked. His voice was deep and gravelly.

"We'd like to buy a room." I replied.

"And a meal." My brother added from behind.

"Single or double?" The man asked.

"One double, please." I responded.

"That'll be ten Precursor Orbs each, then." He said. I nodded, took off my pack rummaged around in the front pouch, and withdrew the money requested, giving it to the man. He took it and stored it in his pocket.

"There's an empty table there." He said, pointing to a corner. "It'll take a while for your food to come."

"Thanks." I replied, then turned and started towards our table, sitting on the left side while Zephyr sat on the right. It took some time, but our dinner finally came. We ate quickly, too hungry to talk to each other. After we finished, we went upstairs to our room, ignoring the calls from drunken men to "sit and have a chat".

The room was very plain, with only two beds, one on either side. There was a small table and chair north of them, with a notepad and pen sitting on it, and painting of a flower on the right wall. A small distance away was the bathroom, with a shower, a sink…and a hole for the toilet.

"Nice place." My twin muttered. I nodded in agreement. After a quick shower, I lay on my bed, thinking about the day's events and what would happen tomorrow. On the other side of the room, my brother was sprawled across his own bed, snoring loudly. Soon, my eyelids began to droop, and I fell into a light doze, still thinking about the future.

Little did I know that our future…wasn't very bright at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! That was quite a long chapter, wasn't it? Took me forever to write! Yeah, sorry about that...I'll try to make the next chapter shorter, I promise. Oh, and sorry if Kleiver didn't sound like himself! I didn't know who would give them the information, so I just made him do it, heh heh heh … Yeah; I know I'm stupid...Anyways...Please review! Oh, and I do NOT own Jak, Daxter or the rest of the cast. They belong to Naughty Dog. I only own Selik and Zephyr.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, I woke up, refreshed and alert, ready for a challenge. After slapping my brother awake (once again), and making my bed (they didn't have maids that came in and did it for us, unlike in Kras City), I polished my switchblade and re-loaded my pistols. Meanwhile, Zephyr had neatened his own bed and was now in the bathroom, taking a shower. Moments later, he emerged, his hair soaking wet and dripping, his clothes plastered to his body.

"Let's go get something to eat." He said calmly. I nodded in agreement, and we both headed downstairs for breakfast. The place wasn't as packed as it had been yesterday, but it was still pretty noisy.

We headed towards the counter. Seeing another man working there, we greeted him, and then told him what we wanted. Sitting at our assigned table, we waited patiently for our food, Zephyr resting his head on his arms, me just staring off into space. At last, our meal came (an egg, bacon, and toast combination for me, pancakes with syrup for Zephyr). We ate quickly, not talking to each other. After gulping down our boiling hot tea, we left.

Outside, the citizens of Spargus City were awake and busy, as people hurried off towards their daily jobs. Others who didn't have an occupation were just walking around, maybe to visit their friends or do errands. I saw one guy riding a Leaper Lizard head towards an alley that I knew lead to the King's private throne room.

Spotting another blue-colored Lizard, I walked over to it and mounted. Steering it in the direction of the garage, I rode it until I reached the door, my brother behind me on his own one. Dismounting, I waited as it opened, and walked in to find Kliever standing in the center of the room. Hearing us enter, he turned.

"What do you two want?" He asked.

"We want to go to Haven City. Can we borrow a vehicle to get to the transport? It's too far to walk there." I replied.

"Hmph! Fine! Go get it yourself!" He growled. I nodded, and then ran to the Sand Shark. After putting on the goggles, I opened the door, got in and turned on the engine. Pressing my foot down hard on the accelerator, I drove towards the door. It opened, and a fierce wind blew from outside. Ignoring it, I drove out. This time, instead of going in a straight line like before, I turned left and kept on driving. Soon, a huge blue hover vehicle came into view. I parked the Sand Shark a few inches from it and then got out. Looking back, I saw my twin driving up to where I stood. He stopped beside my vehicle and stepped out.

"So this is what's going to take us to Haven, right? Better hope it doesn't take us to the wrong city!" He said. I shook my head at him, and then walked over to the back of the transport, where the door was. It opened downwards, hitting the sand with a loud thud, creating a sort of ramp. I boarded it. Behind me, Zephyr ran, wanting to catch up, and entered the transport just in time.

Inside it was large and spacious yet dull, with nothing but two benches on either side. They were empty, meaning that we were the only passengers. Well, us and the driver, whom I couldn't see.

Sliding onto the left bench, I waited. My brother sat on the right. There was a loud thump as the vehicle door hit the rim, closing itself. Hearing a whirr as the engine started up, I clung tightly to the edges of the bench, bracing myself as we took off.

The transport rose into the air, and then turned in a full circle, its front pointing in a northwestern angle. Shooting into the air, it straightened and continued moving in that direction, speeding across the sandy landscape. Peering out the window behind me, I saw green and tan, mixed in every once in a while with blurry dots, signifying people. The wall which separated the city and the wasteland was nothing but a strip of grey as we flew over it.

At last, we came to our destination. As the door opened, I shifted my pack onto my back and stood up. Glancing at my brother, I saw that he remained sitting, his bag dangling from his fingers, a calm, almost careless expression on his face. I returned my gaze to the front again and walked down the ramp. Behind me, I heard my twin sigh and stand up, making his way across the ramp almost soundlessly.

My feet touched ground. It felt different, firmer than usual. Guessing it to be made of metal, I walked, my theory confirmed, as it made faint clanking noises each time I took a step.

Lifting my head, I took in my surroundings. We were in the middle of a harbor, a port it looked like. Water surrounded us, and in front of me stood a huge, tall tower, connected by wires to the other. Bridges extended from one side to a wider platform ahead. Guards patrolled the area, dressed in sky-blue armor, weapons tightly held in their hands as they marched in groups.

I ran across a bridge, dodging a guard along the way. Stopping once I reached the end, with my brother right behind me, I examined the place. It was pretty advanced. Nearly everything was made of metal; those that weren't were built from brick or other materials. There was a section that leads into different areas, most likely filled with Metal Heads.

"There are no people here." Zephyr remarked. Startled, I examined the place more closely and realized he was right. There _were_ no people around. None walking, riding on Zoomers, talking. The only sound we heard was the wind and our breathing.

I heard my twin gasp, and I looked at him. His eyes were wide, his mouth gaping, his face pale. His hand was raised, his index finger trembling with fear as he pointed at the thing in front of him. I whirled around… and saw it.

A giant robot towered over us. It was a red color, and walked on four crab-like legs. A single eye glared down at us; in the center of it was a blue beam. The thing made no sound, only looked at us. A bright blue beam shot out of its eye, directed at me.

I dove aside, and the laser passed by, inches from where I stood. Rolling to my feet, I whipped out one of my pistols and began firing at it. Beside me, my twin had recovered from his shock, and had taken out his own gun. Gunshots echoed throughout the town, though no one came.

By now, I had emptied a whole round of bullets into the robot. Quickly, I re-loaded and raised my weapon, aiming for its eye. My finger pulled the trigger, there was a bang, and our enemy stopped, a bullet embedded in its head. It crouched down on all fours, like it was about to pounce. I turned and ran, Zephyr hot on my heels, as the robot exploded, leaving nothing behind but scattered bits of burnt metal.

Panting, I stopped running and bent over, trying to calm down. After catching my breath, I looked up and gazed around the city. The city was quiet, save for distant shouts and gunfire. There were more of those beasts.

"We have to stop them. They may destroy the city." Zephyr called out to me. I nodded in agreement, and then started running towards where the second tower was (the one on the right). As I came closer, I saw the guards dressed in blue, fighting the robot. They were zapping it with electricity and lasers, doing their best to destroy it. However, it wasn't enough. I watched as they were killed, one by one, either knocked into the water and drowning or shot in the chest and head by the robot's lasers.

Soon, there was only one left standing. I started running faster, desperate to save the man. He was knocked to the ground by the robot, the blue beam fixed straight at his head.

"No!" I screamed as the beam slowly lit up, concentrating on its target, and intent on burning him to a crisp.

A knife whizzed through the air, straight at the robots head. It pierced it though the center of its head, where the laser was. The beam, ready to fire, was trapped inside, and the robot exploded as its weapon was turned against it.

"Get out of the way!" a voice cried, and I was instantly shoved aside. Picking myself up from the ground, I had a glimpse at the person as they ran past.

It was a young man, wearing a blue, long-sleeved shirt with a ring in the center, held there by three straps made of leather. His pants were a tan color, and ended below his knees, tied with strips of leather. He wore knee-high combat boots. His blond hair, green at the roots, was cut short and slightly pointed. Dazzling sapphire-blue eyes were narrowed, hard as ice. Tied on his forehead was a pair of goggles. In his gloved hands was a large gun. It looked like a rifle, with stripes of yellow across the top and bottom.

Grabbing a Zoomer, he hoisted himself upon it. Twisting the handlebars, he sped towards the left bridge, where the third robot was. I ran after him, wanting to help, with my brother behind me.

As the young man came closer to the robot, I noticed that he wasn't slowing down, but rather speeding up. Then I realized. He was going to ram it!

Just as the vehicle collided with the robot, he leaped off. While it did do some damage, it wasn't enough. Landing smoothly on his feet, he raised his gun and started shooting at the robot. Bullets pelted it, leaving small dents in the metal. Sensing it was being attacked, the robot started shooting lasers, which the man quickly dodged.

He dove under its legs, raised his gun so that it was directed at its unprotected underbelly, and started firing rapidly, one round after the other. The robot jerked upwards ever time it was hit, though it continued to walk. Just as it were a few feet away from its destination, it crouched. The young man rolled out from underneath it and ran, as the robot exploded.

Lowering my hand, I watched as the man walked towards us. As he came closer, I saw that he was covered in ashes and smoke. He stopped a few inches away from us and spoke. His voice was deep, kind of hoarse, as if it had been forced out of him.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" He asked sharply, glaring at us. He half-raised his gun, as if to warn us that if we did anything wrong, we would regret it.

"We're travelers." I explained. "We came here looking for some shelter."

"Shelter?" The young man inquired. "What do you mean by 'shelter'?"

Before I could respond, however, a young man ran up to us. He wore a short-sleeved white short with some kind of logo on it, and navy-blue pants that ended near his ankles, with a gun holster strapped on the right. On his feet were knee-high combat boots. His skin was pale, almost white, and gleamed in the sunlight. He had black hair that was tied into a long braid, and amber-colored eyes. Attached to his left ear was an earring. But what really caught me off guard were the tattoos covering the whole left side of his face and arm.

"Are you alright, Jak?" he asked. His voice was mellow, yet soft and whispery, almost like a hiss.

"I'm fine, Terence." The man, named Jak, replied.

"Who are you?" Terence asked us.

"They say they're travelers, and came here looking for shelter." Jak answered for us, his eyes still narrowed suspiciously. "We'll take them to Torn. He'll decide what to do with them."

"Whoa, hold on there for a second!" I cried, raising my hands. "We're not going anywhere until you explain what just happened!"

"It was an attack. Blast Bots have been invading the area. We don't know who sent them."

"B-but- this is Haven City! We aren't supposed to be attacked!" I paused. "This _is_ Haven City, right?"

"Yeah, it is. It's just that, we're in the middle of a war right now." Terence explained.

"War? There's a _war_ going on in here?" I exclaimed. Jak nodded.

I didn't know what to say. All these years, I had dreamed of coming to Haven City, of living there peacefully with the civilians, of being happy. But now, since coming here, I had experienced none of those. None! Instead, I had been attacked by robots and almost gotten killed by it.

It seems that my dream… had turned into a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter… I should really make them shorter! I'll try next time. Okay, in case you are confused, here's a quick explanation: Selik and Zephyr are new to Haven City, so they don't know anything about it, or what lives in it. Terence is my new OC in this story and he belongs to me. He was actually the first character I made that was Jak-and-Daxter-based. I'm including him in this story because he… I don't know, fits well in it? I hope you like him, though. I certainly do.
> 
> Terence: That's because you created me!
> 
> Me: Oh… yeah, but that's not all I like about you!
> 
> Terence: Really? What else?
> 
> Me: Well, for starters, you're cute!
> 
> Terence: True, I am. But that's only because you created me to look cute!
> 
> Me: Oh, yeah… But even if I didn't create you to look that way, I would still like you! Come here! Give me a hug! (Runs at Terence with arms outstretched)
> 
> Terence: AAAAAAHHHHHHHH! SOMEONE SAVE ME! (Runs away screaming) 
> 
> Me: Darn, I can't catch him… oh well, maybe next time… Anyways, feel free to drop in a review! I would appreciate it! Oh, and I do NOT own Jak, Daxter, or the rest of the cast. I only own Selik, Zephyr and Terence.


	4. Chapter 4

"Come on," Jak snapped, prodding me with his gun. "Move already!"

I glared at him. We had just arrived in Haven City, and already we were treated like dirt. I opened my mouth to reply, but then Zephyr shot me a look. It said "Be quiet and go along, okay?" I nodded and closed it. I could fire a response back at him later. Right now, we needed to know where we were being led, if these people were trustable or not. If yes, then we'd join their side and stay. If no, then we'd scram, probably shoot a few people along the way and never come back. _Ever._

No one spoke as we walked. Jak and Terence kept a close eye on my brother and me, their weapons shoved against our backs, a warning that if we'd try to escape, we'd be dead before we'd even take a step. I kept my hands by my sides, daring not once to draw my pistols. My eyes were glued to the path in front of me, my back stiff as a board from fear. Beside me, my brother did the same.

At last, we came to our destination. It was a large building with a gigantic Ottsel perched on the top, adorned with short, sharp-looking horns and a tail with a small point at the end, holding a pitchfork. To me, it looked like a rat dressed as Satan for Halloween.

Jak poked me with his gun again, and I sighed and marched inside, with Terence and Zephyr right behind us. It was a large, almost cozy place, with tables and stools lining along the sides. In the center was a broad, circular table, and behind that was a long table with stools arranged along that. In the back, I could see shelves filled with a variety of jars and bottles.

An Ottsel lying on the table raised its head. Seeing us, it jumped to its feet.

"Aha! Customers! How may I-" It exclaimed in a squeaky voice, but Jak cut him short.

"Save the speech for later Daxter," He said to it. "Get Torn in here." When Daxter didn't move, he added "Now!"

"Fine! I'm going, I'm going!" He muttered, scurrying over to the far right side of the counter. "Yo! Tattooed Wonder! Get your butt in here!" He yelled at a curtain that hung over a gap.

In response, a deep, gravelly voice growled back, "Shut your mouth, rat! I'm coming!" Moments later, a man emerged from the other room. He was dressed in a pale-blue shirt and tan-colored pants. A red scarf wound around his neck and across his chest, and two wires bent upwards, merging into a small device that suspended right below his chin. Where the wires connected on the back, a curved knife lay inside a sheath, strapped to his back. He was carrying two handguns whose holsters were tied to his thighs. His hair, a dark red color, was tied into dreadlocks, and his navy-blue yes were hard, with a commanding glint in them. Inky-blue tattoos adorned his face, spreading to the tips of his ears.

After giving Daxter a glare, which the Ottsel quickly returned, he examined the room. His eyes fell on the four of us and he started walking over to where we stood. Eying my brother and me suspiciously, he turned to Jak and asked "What took you so long? And who are these people?"

"They're travelers," Terence answered for him. "We found them after we took out the Blast Bots."

"Well, what are they doing here?" The man growled. "We're in the middle of a war, God-damn it! We have no time for tourists!"

"We didn't know!" I cried. "We just came here because we needed shelter!"

"Shelter?" The man asked. He looked at me. "What for?"

"None of your business!" I snarled at him. "Let us go now!"

He glared at me and opened his mouth. Just as he was about to reply, Zephyr suddenly exclaimed "Hey! You're Commander Torn of the Freedom League, aren't you?"

Startled, the man closed his mouth and looked at him. So did me and the others. How did he know him? We had never been here before, let alone knew anyone.

Seeing everyone staring at him, my twin quickly explained. "There was a rumor going around our city, about a war going on somewhere. I heard that the leader of the rebellion group were two people, a man and a woman. Their names were Commander Torn and Ashelin."

Jak smirked. "Seems you've grown famous, Torn." The man, named Torn, ignored him.

"That still doesn't explain why you guys are here." He growled.

"We already told you, we need shelter!" I snapped at him. Why was this so complicated for him to understand? Then again, if someone came up to me and told me they needed shelter, I would be pretty confused too. Great, I've outsmarted myself. _Literally._

"I-" Torn began, and then shook his head. "This is gonna go on _forever_." He muttered to himself, rubbing the side of his face in exasperation. "Fine. I'll let you two stay. But _only_ ," He added, raising a finger. He had seen the look on my face. "If you two prove yourselves."

"Prove ourselves?" I echoed. "What does that mean?"

"We need new people for the war," He responded. "If you two want to live here, then you gotta join our ranks and be useful. I don't want to have to deal with another pair of snot-nosed brats like them." He gestured over to where Jak and Terence stood. They glared at him, saying nothing.

"Fine, we'll do it. What's the test?" I replied. Zephyr nodded in agreement.

"You'll find out tomorrow. Right now, you two need to get some rest. Night's almost fallen. That includes you two also." He added with a look at Jak and Terence. They nodded.

"But it's only-" I began, but Zephyr shook his head at me.

"It isn't the afternoon sis," He muttered. "Look outside."

I glanced out the window and blinked. Night _had_ come. The sky was a dark blue color, almost black, with the first few appearing stars winking at me. There was no sound outside, except for distant crickets chirping. I sighed and turned back to Torn.

"Where do we sleep?" I asked him.

"Up there," He replied, pointing at the curtain. He strode over to it and brushed it aside, revealing a flight of stairs. "There are some bunk beds and a bathroom. Make yourselves comfortable." He added. Sensing the sarcasm in the remark, I rolled my eyes at him, then walked over to the curtain and began to climb the steps, my brother behind me, with Jak and Terence trailing after. Reaching the door to the room, I opened it.

The room was extremely plain, with nothing on the walls except white paint. There were small drawers beside the beds, which were completely empty except for a small layer of dust. The beds themselves were untouched, utterly smooth and flat, the pillow still un-fluffed. I started towards the left bottom bunk and after setting down my belongings, headed towards the bathroom. After washing myself off, clearing my mind of the day's events, I slipped under the covers, my hair still soaking wet. Closing my eyes, I slept and dreamed, preparing myself for the difficulties ahead. After all, who said the test _wasn't_ going to be hard?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I got caught up in school and had to temporarily postpone my work for the week. I'll try to update sooner next time. So… Selik and Zephyr met Torn, and already figured out that they don't like him. Then again, I'm assuming that no one likes Torn, anyway… heh heh heh...
> 
> Torn: (Cries)
> 
> Ashelin: You made my boyfriend cry! I'm going to kill you for that! (Takes out Red Eco pistol
> 
> Me: AAAAAHHHH! I AM SORRY! (Runs away screaming)
> 
> Ashelin: Come back here! (Runs after me)
> 
> Terence: Okay… seeing as my creator is busy at the moment, I will try to fill in for her. (Clears throat) Ahem! How do you like this story so far? Is it good? Bad? Strange? For those of you who like this so far (and me), please inform her by submitting a review. For those of you who don't like this, go away and never come back. By the way, my creator does NOT own Jak, Daxter or the rest of the cast. They belong to Naughty Dog. She only owns Selik, Zephyr and me, Terence. Bye for now! (Waves)


	5. Chapter 5

"Go away…" I mumbled sleepily, trying to ignore the hand that shook me back and forth. It released its grip on my shoulder and started poking me with a finger, the nail digging deep into my skin. Growling, I raised my arm and lashed out with it carelessly. A hand curled around my wrist, holding it firmly aloft. I turned my head and opened my eyes a slit.

Zephyr was standing above me, his smile spreading as he saw me waking up.

"Morning, sleepy-head," he said joyously. I glared at him, meaningfully into his eyes and then at my arm in the air. "Oh, sorry," He muttered. He released my arm and stepped back. Pushing myself into a sitting position, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and looking around, saw that the room was completely empty of people except for my twin and me.

"Where are Jak and Terence?" I asked Zephyr.

"We overslept," he explained. "Everyone is downstairs. Torn is waiting for us. He's getting impatient." As if to emphasize what he said, Torn's voice floated up from the floor below us, "If you two don't get your butts down here in ten minutes, you'll both get no breakfast!"

"We're coming!" I yelled back. Standing up, I walked over to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth and taking a quick shower, I dressed, grabbed my weapons and made my bed. Then Zephyr and I headed downstairs.

Everyone was gathered around the long table, bent low over their food. Torn raised his head. Seeing us, he snapped, "About time you guys got here! I was about to dump your food into the trash! Here," he pushed two plates in front of me and my brother, each containing a hunk of bread, eggs, sausages and a cup of tea. "Eat." I nodded. Grabbing my plate, I sat myself at an empty seat besides Jak, who didn't look up nor made a greeting. Zephyr sat himself besides Terence a few rows down, who smiled at him in a welcoming way.

As soon as we finished our meal, and were done clearing the table and washing the dishes, Torn began issuing orders. "Alright," He barked "Jak, you and Terence have to deliver a package to Vin at the Power Station. And you two," he turned to me and my brother, "Go down to the shooting range. Its a few blocks down right from here. I'll meet you there later." I nodded and then turned and headed out the door, my twin right behind me.

Outside, the sky was a bright clear blue, with no clouds. People walked on the bridges suspended over the murky water, chatting to each other. Some people rode hover vehicles above us, their engines humming and whining softly. Guards dressed in blue armor marched around in groups, speaking amongst themselves, so quietly that I could barely hear them. The city seemed almost peaceful, like it was trying hard to ignore the danger that it kept inside, attempting to disregard the fact that they were actually a warzone, unlike a normal place of shelter. Trying to become something that they weren't. Trying to be a haven when it really wasn't, and failing miserably at it. The citizens knew that, yet they were too afraid to act, to speak up. And why shouldn't they be?

Following Torn's directions, I turned right, Zephyr beside me. We didn't speak a single word to each other as we walked. Despite the fact that I was going to get kicked out of The Naughty Ottsel if I didn't pass the test, along with my brother, I felt strangely calm and relaxed. Glancing over at my twin, I saw that he also looked unnerved (as always).

As we came partially to the end of the block, where a wall of another building loomed before us, I stopped a few feet from it and looked around. Spotting a yellow door stuck to the front of the building to our right, I walked up to it, waiting patiently as it opened automatically. Stepping inside, I was met with a large room. The walls seemed to be made entirely of metal, with steam-leaking pipes. Among the shelves built into them were parts, also made of metal, with holes drilled into them. Obviously, they were for guns, as I'd also spied a few stacked atop, some polished and ready to be used, others incomplete with missing triggers or muzzles.

"Excuse me but, who are you guys?" The voice was high-pitched and slightly curious. It sounded like a female's. Turning, I saw a young woman, about twenty or older. She had yellow-blond hair, cerulean eyes, pale skin, and wore a dark green long-sleeved shirt with leather straps across both of her breasts that ended right below her stomach, along with blue-jean, mid-thigh shorts and boots. Brown guards covered her legs, tied by strips made of leather, and navy-blue gloves covered her hands. A red scarf was wound around her neck.

Before I could respond to her question, the doors re-opened and Torn came in. The woman, spotting him, said "Commander! Here to get some practice in?"

"No Tess," He replied. "I'm here to test the new recruits." He gestured to us.

"So _you're_ the new soldiers?" Tess asked me and Zephyr. I nodded.

"Well then, I'm glad you two came,"She replied happily. "I'd just finished building a new gun course. It would be perfect for you guys to test in it!"

"That's fine," I said. "How many points do we have to score?"

"Look up there." Torn muttered back, pointing at the top of a wall. I glanced at the scoreboard and my jaw dropped.

"Ten thousand points?" I yelped.

"Yup." He looked down at me. "Why? Is it too much for you?" He asked, his tone taunting.

"No!" I growled back, walking up to the door in front of me. It opened and I continued through, the door sliding shut behind me.

I found myself in a large corridor. The walls, instead of being blank, flat and grey as I'd expected, were full of color and protruding, like several buildings with doors had been installed into them. They were riddled with bullet holes and scratches. The floor itself was made of cement with strips of metal across it. White, almost blinding lights from the ceiling brightened the hallways, making it easy to see.

Suddenly, a target popped up, shaped into a short red robot. It was a few inches higher than my chest, and its arm was raised, as if it were about to attack. Before I could react, a red beam of light shot from its hand-headed straight towards me!

I dove aside, but was too slow, and the laser grazed my arm, leaving a thin, black scratch. Hissing in pain, I leaped to my feet, pulled out one of my pistols and shot at it. The target exploded in a spray of cardboard and sparks. Immediately, another target appeared. I shot at it, and like the first one it exploded. Other ones sprang up and I repeatedly pulled the trigger; they all exploded.

I was beginning to understand what I had to do, who I had to "kill" and who I didn't. The robots were my "enemies" and if I shot at them, I would gain points. Their color indicated how much they were worth: Brown ones cost about one-hundred, so did some of the red ones. The glowing small ones had to be destroyed instantly, since they had bombs inside them and automatically exploded within five seconds or so. Of course, civilian targets appeared, and if I wasn't careful about shooting them, I would lose points. I must admit that I occasionally "murdered" one of them, and lost some points; still I kept on going, since they weren't exactly real and I really didn't have time to mourn for them. But even if they _were_ real, I still wouldn't shed any tears. There was no sense in crying over spilled milk (or in this case, blood).

"I…Am…Going…To…Kill-" Each word I spoke was punctuated by a punch, kick or a bullet at a target and everyone I aimed at shattered. However, my sentence (or curse/threat as you would possibly call it) went unfinished, as I had to dodge another laser that came my way.

Finally, a door opened on the other side of the room, and I emerged, my clothing covered in ashes and bits of cardboard, my hair and skin singed, and an expression of fury on my face.

"YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THERE WERE ANY LASERS!" I yelled from across the room, marching up to Torn and jabbing his chest with a finger. He gazed down at me, amused.

"Oops. Guess I forgot." He replied sarcastically, a smirk playing on his lips. Tess giggled at his words. I shot a glare at her and she blinked innocently in response.

Stomping over to where Zephyr stood a foot away from the others, I muttered out the side of my mouth "You better be careful."

"Okay, sis." He replied cheerfully, patting my shoulder as he passed. Standing in front of the metal door, he took out his Blaster gun and as it opened, he stepped through. The doors closed behind them and he disappeared from view.

Minutes ticked by as Torn, Tess and I patiently waited. Soon, the door before us opened and out came my brother, ashes streaked across his shirt and pants, a grin on his face. Turning his head, he made eye contact with the Freedom League captain and asked "So? How'd we do?"

Torn looked up at the scoreboard and I followed his gaze. We had both scored over ten thousand points, reaching up to over thirty-thousand. I glanced at him. His face held no expression except for a small smirk on his lips, but in his eyes, I could see approval and… was it _admiration_?

Zephyr walked over to where I stood and we both waited, gazing at the man that would decide our fates, wondering what was going through his mind as he stood there, blue eyes locked on the scoreboard. Finally he turned towards us. His eyes had hardened into shards of ice, giving nothing away, his mouth set in a thin, pale line.

"Well…since both of you have scored over what I ordered in the first place…" He began, and then hesitated, lost in his own thoughts. At last, he muttered gruffly "You both passed."

"Yes!" I cried. Zephyr and I shared a grin of triumph with each other. He raised his hand, and I slapped it in a high-five.

We were in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't bore you with my list of excuses, just know that I am terribly sorry for the longwait. Even though I had planned this chapter to be an early one, things got a little out of schedule and I had to pause it again. That and I also had been a bit lazy over the past few weeks… Man, am I stupid…I've just GIVEN you some excuses, even though I said I wouldn't! ARRGGHHH!
> 
> Terence: (Sweatdrops) Um… Okay… Could you perhaps get back to what you were saying?
> 
> Me: Oh, yes. Thank you for getting me back on track. Anyways, how is this story so far? Feel free to submit a review! I myself think that it's pretty good.
> 
> Terence: That's because you were the one that wrote it...
> 
> Me: Yeah, whatever…


	6. Chapter 6

"Selik."

"Hmm?" I mused, focusing my attention from the map I had been studying to the person in front of me. It was Zephyr. "What is it?"

"Torn has a mission for us," He replied calmly. "I'll explain it later."

"Is that it?" I asked. My brother nodded. "Alright then, just let me put this away." He nodded once more and then waited patiently as I folded up the map and returned it to a place on the shelf behind me. Walking around the wide desk that I'd been sitting at for the past few hours, I made my way to the door, my brother behind me.

Several months had passed since my twin and I had joined the Freedom League. After we had proven to the ex-KG commander that we were actually worthy and not just burdens, he had happily introduced us to the task of performing missions, which varied from surprisingly easy to frustratingly difficult. Most included eliminating Metal Heads in a certain area, some were deliveries to people and yet few involved infiltrating the KG fortress. Almost all the missions he sent us on required weapons, particularly well-made ones, fashioned for both close and long-range combat, whether they were used for knocking someone unconscious (Which Terence had accidentally done to Jak while aiming for a Metal Head that had decided to go for a ride on his back) or ending the life of an unwary, faraway opponent with a perfectly positioned head shot (Which I had done to a Metal Head that had been distracted by the sight of Daxter running and screaming his head off).

"So, what does Torn want us to do this time, Zephyr?" I asked him as we walked. A cool breeze blew past us, playfully lifting and parting my hair; my sibling paid no attention to it, apparently lost in his own thoughts. Upon hearing my question, however, he came back to reality.

"Wha…! Oh… sorry sis," He muttered, blushing lightly. I waved aside the apology and waited for him to continue. "Well," He responded "Torn said that he's been receiving reports lately from other Freedom League Guards saying that a lot of Metal Heads have been gathering in Haven Forest. He wants us to check it out."

"Another suicide mission for us, eh?" I sighed and my brother nodded absently. I could tell that he was zoning out again, which made me curious. Despite him being a bit of an idiot, Zephyr normally didn't space out like this, let alone very often-He was usually very alert to his surroundings. Ever since we had joined the Freedom League, he'd been retreating into his mind more commonly, at random times. His demeanor had changed too, becoming less social and more solemn. Even Daxter had stopped trying to have conversations with him, as he was fed up with his silence. Only I knew why he was acting like this: Something was bothering him. But as for what, I couldn't figure out.

I wonder… Was this his personality when he had fought as a mercenary in the war long ago, the one that our care-giver had sent him to after he'd trained and raised us? Did he have a serious and solitary manner, so that none of the other soldiers living with him in the barracks refused to acknowledge him, much less _talk_ to him? If so, why? Why did he shut himself off from the rest of the team, when he could of befriended them and become companions? Strange…

As we rounded the corner to where the path led into an area inhabited by Metal Heads, which was also where Haven Forest dwelled nearby, Zephyr suddenly spoke up. "Can we fly?" he asked me.

Startled, I looked at him and he stared back at me with a meaningful look in his dark eyes. I knew what he wanted to do: To not simply fly, as in riding a Zoomer at high speed, but to actually _fly_ , to sprout wings and soar across the sky.

I quickly scanned our surroundings, looking for anyone nearby. There was no one in my range of sight; the whole place was deserted. Turning back to my brother, I nodded.

"Thanks, sis." He replied, smiling, glad that I'd approved of his idea. Closing his eyes, he concentrated hard, his forehead furrowed in effort.

Grey fur rippled across his body from top to bottom, replacing skin. His jaw elongated, accompanied by his nose, turning into a long snout. Hands and feet melted, shrinking and twisting into round paws. Curved fangs and sharp claws slid out from pink gums and the tips of his toes. Long, sharp horns and feathery wings burst from his head and shoulder blades, and a bushy tail, laden with spikes, shot out the end of his spine. I did nothing as Zephyr transformed into his other self/form, merely watched and waited patiently for it to end.

Slowly, the transformation finished, and its agonizing effect, shown by my brother writhing on the ground while trying to muffle his screams, ceased. The wolf rose onto its newly changed limbs. Twisting its head around, a pair of bright blue eyes connected with mine, and it jerked its nose behind its back. I nodded and walked towards it, swinging my legs up and over, straddling its spine. My arms curled around its furry neck, locking it in a death grip.

After making sure that I was securely fastened to its back, the wolf (aka Zephyr) ran forward. As its feet touched the edge of the path into the Metal Head entrance, it leaped. Wings shot out from either side of me, beating rapidly at the air. We began to rise, inch by inch and soon we were high above the ground, gliding to our destination, the flight appendages straight and flat on both left and right. Metal Heads below us roared angrily, swiping and snapping at the air with their clawed paws and sharp-toothed mouths, frustrated at having their food escape (as it was six feet higher than they).

Veering left suddenly (and almost throwing me off in the process) the wolf flew along a pathway that had an acid-filled ditch, as did the rest of the place. A large metal door came into view and after several more wing flaps we landed. The ground seemed softer than most, but stable, untouched by the ever-dissolving liquid that rested below. I dismounted off Zephyr's back, releasing him of my stranglehold.

Walking up the steep ramp that led to the door, the wolf trotting silently behind me, the steel walls parted to reveal a small room made entirely of metal, with another door attached to the other side. Stepping in, I waited as the second entranceway opened, this time showing Haven Forest.

The place looked as though autumn had eternally fallen. Nearby trees and grass were colored in a yellow-orange shade. Some were planted into the ground, while others perched upon flat slabs of grey-white rock. A shallow river flowed throughout the landscape, occasionally forming small ponds, with leaves dotting their clear blue surface. Walls of grey-white stone surrounded the location in a circular shape. The whole setting had a peaceful aura radiating from it, making me feel calm and relaxed, despite the fact that I had a mission to do, which might include killing dangerous beasts.

However, as I crept silently through the woodland with my weapons drawn out, I soon found out that there were no Metal Heads here, at least in the place where I was searching. Zephyr and I had decided to split up, to make the inspection easier and faster. That way, we wouldn't have to waste time running around the whole forest all day.

A rough barking sound emitted from my right and I spun around, aiming my pistol at an empty space between two rocks. Zephyr, stepping out from behind the left one, saw me with my weapon raised and growled at me to put it down- He was still in his wolf form, as I'd asked him earlier if he'd wanted to change back into his human form or not, but he'd refused.

I did as I was told. Seeing my annoyed expression, my brother snorted and then walked away. I trailed behind, curious to see where he was going and, if he had anything to show me, what it was. Together, we walked quietly, keeping an eye out for anything that might attack us along the way.

After a while, my twin and I came upon a large clearing, circled by an array of trees and stones, with a small stream trickling on the far side. Strewn among the grass were the bodies of Metal Heads, blood dripping from their wounds. Kneeling down, I examined the carcass of one whose throat had been torn out. Its appearance was that of a typical Metal Head, with scratched dark green-and-black armor overlapping strong, well-built muscles and bones; its long, bony tail lay limply, adorned with a spike at the end, no doubt poisonous; its head was shaped at a diamond angle and its jaw, filled with rows and rows of jagged teeth, was a squarer shape than others; embedded into its forehead was a hollow oval hole, where its Skull Gem had once been. Beady, glazed eyes stared out at me. I shivered and rose from my position on the ground.

Turning, I directed my words at Zephyr, who stood over another Metal Head, sniffing at the deep cut on its chest. "Torn was right. There _were_ Metal Heads around here," I called to him. "But someone killed them all. Whoever did so have a lot of power." I added. My twin nodded and growled in agreement.

A snarl pierced the air, vibrating off the trees and rocks. I immediately went into a defensive stance, my pistols pointed at a section that lay on the right of where I was standing, where the sudden noise had come from. Behind me, Zephyr crouched, ready to back me up if I was attacked or needed assistance.

A dark figure detached itself from the shadows and walked forward into the sunlight. I tensed, my hands tightening on my weapons, teeth clenched.

It was a wolf, although bigger and certainly stronger then my brother. Gazing at us warily with bright green eyes, it stood, silent. Black fur covered its body, along with streaks and splashes of silver-white on its paws, muzzle and tail. It looked healthy and fit, displayed by its smooth, plump middle, sinewy muscles and sturdy bones.

My finger curled around the trigger, ready to fire. My twin stepped in front of me, blocking my path. Surprised, I gazed down at him, and he glanced back at me. In his eyes, there was a single message: Let me handle this. I nodded, understanding, and put my pistol back into its holster.

Standing in the sun, the wolf's ears perked up and then lay back as he saw Zephyr approaching. Its lips curled back, exposing bloodstained teeth. I blinked, realizing who had killed all of those Metal Heads-the wolf. Well, Torn was going to be pretty happy once he found out, since he no longer has to worry about this place being infested with dangerous beasts. Yippee for him…

Zephyr ignored the warning and continued. The wolf growled at him and again he disregarded it. They were a few feet from each other now, the gap being made smaller as my brother advanced forward. Soon, they were inches apart, enough that they could touch noses.

My twin leaned across, his snout touching the wolfs. Suddenly he recoiled, shock coming into his eyes. Slowly, he began to back away, still staring at it. Stopping at my side, my brother closed his eyes, concentrating. Morphing back into his human form, keeping his screams to himself, he rose to his feet, disbelief and bewilderment clouding his violet eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, concerned.

"That wolf…" He whispered.

"You mean it?" I replied, nodding my head towards the beast, which stood there looking at us curiously.

"Yeah… I _know_ him…" He murmured.

"Well," I snapped impatiently, "Who is he then?"

"He's Celan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally decided to update this thing… Sorry for the long wait. In case you don't know or have forgotten, Celan is Zephyr's wolf clan leader. He was mentioned in the first chapter as the one missing. If you noticed, this particular chapter focused only on Selik and Zephyr, with no Terence, Jak or any of the canon characters added in. The next few will probably be written the same, only with other OCs I made up. Most of them will belong in the pack, though. There is only one that plays a bigger part and you'll find out about him later. For now, though, feel free to submit a review! Oh, and I also apologize that the ending of this chapter has a cliffhanger (If you consider this to be one, that is). I don't own Jak, Daxter or the rest of the cast. I only own Selik, Zephyr and Terence. See ya!


	7. Chapter 7

"What?" I cried, staring at my brother in shock. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," He replied, "I could smell his scent in the air around him. And see that crescent mark on his forehead?"

I squinted, trying to see through the sun's glare. The half-moon symbol shone brightly above his eyebrows. "Yeah, so?"

"Every wolf clan leader has a sign on their head, representing their element and authority. When another wolf defeats him in battle and the loser has an heir, the same emblem will appear on his or her head. That way, the one who runs the pack is that of the same group. If the leader doesn't have someone to replace him after he dies, the older wolves will simply select a skilled wolf and engrave the pack symbol upon them."

"Oh…" I muttered, understanding. Gesturing to Celan, I asked "What do we do with him, then?"

"Well…" My brother mused. "Since the pack lives somewhere in the Wasteland, I guess we'll have to bring the wolf with us back to Haven. And besides, we still have to report back to Torn."

"Alright." I started towards the beast, meaning to lead it back to where we stood, but as I stepped forward, Celan growled. Surprised, I stopped and looked back at Zephyr.

"I can't get near him." I told him.

"Hmm…" He muttered, frowning slightly. Approaching the wolf, he stopped a few feet from it, reached out with a hand, and gently rested the palm against its furry head, moving it back and forth. Celan ceased the menacing sound, closing his eyes in content, his tail swishing from side to side. Smiling, Zephyr straightened and turned to me.

"I don't think he likes being near humans," He said "I'll have to keep a close eye on him on the way."

I shrugged. "That's fine. Let's head back to the city, before Torn sends his entire army down here to fetch us."

Nodding, Zephyr strode past me, Celan trotting obediently at his heels. Shaking my head, wondering exactly how my brother interacted with animals so well, I trailed behind.

Soon, we came to the exit. As the doors creaked open, the wolf whined softly and glanced back at the forest. It was as if he was saying farewell to his previous home. Petting his head fondly, my twin stepped though, into the metal room to where the other door was. I did the same. And reluctantly, so did Celan.

At the other end, the doors parted, revealing a steep ramp, and to the right, a two-seat Cruiser. Walking up to the vehicle, I waited patiently, and as my sibling and his clan leader approached, gestured to our mode of transportation.

"How are we going to get back _now_?" I said. "There's only room for two of us, and

we can't exactly leave Celan behind."

"He could fly back on his own." Zephyr suggested, but I shook my head at him.

"That's impossible," I replied. "He's probably never been out of the forest in months and he could easily get lost." Not to mention the fact that there were hungry Metal Heads around, just waiting for an inexperienced being to wander into their midst.

"How about…I turn into a wolf and I fly back with Celan? I'm pretty sure I know the way back. You could take the Cruiser, sis."

I paused, thinking and then nodded. That _did_ sound like a good idea. My brother grinned.

"Alright then, let's do it!" He said. Closing his eyes, he concentrated hard, gasping as he began to change. Kneeling on his hands and knees on the ground, his muscles were shifting and bones creaking as he transformed into his other self. Screams of agony vibrated in his chest as he did his best to keep them silent.

At last, Zephyr rose. After glancing at me, his eyes telling me to be safe, he nodded to his clan leader. Celan barked, and together they ran forward. Spreading their wings, they shot into the air and flew away, headed for the entrance.

Smiling, I watched the two of them until they faded away from view, then walked over to the Cruiser. Hopping into the driver's seat, not bothering to open the door, I flipped a switch. The engine started with a gentle hum. Small flames shot out of the back as I maneuvered the vehicle towards the acid-filled ditch.

Just as the tip of the car tilted downwards, I pressed a button, making the Cruiser rise into the air suddenly. I continued to drive, my hair blowing in the breeze, occasionally turning in wrong directions and getting lost. In those cases, I had to backpedal, turn in a full circle, and continue in a straight line until I found another path. So much for "knowing the way back"…

Finally, I came to the place where we had first entered. Lowering the Cruiser so that it hovered just above the metal-made ground, I looked around for Zephyr and Celan. Seeing them standing several feet away, I drove over, slamming on the brakes just a few inches in front of them.

"About time you came! We were worried you got lost." My twin muttered as I got out of the vehicle. He'd turned back into his human form. Celan barked his agreement. Rolling my eyes at the pair, I walked, beckoning to the two as I passed. They quickly followed.

Rounding the corner, I gazed up at the sky. It was still bright and clear as we'd left it. Running ahead of me was my brother and Celan: the wolf had challenged Zephyr to a race, to see who would reach the Naughty Ottsel first, which he had pointed out. Their heavy breathing was the only sound that could be heard, as the rest of the citizens were inside their homes.

Jak and Terence were sitting on bar stools when we came in, exhausted from their pervious mission. Upon seeing the wolf, however, they yelped in surprise, jumped out of their seats and grabbed their weapons, training them on Celan.

"Don't shoot!" I yelled, running forward, stepping in front of the animal and holding my hands up. My brother did the same.

"What-what _is_ that thing?" Terence yelled, refusing to lower his guard.

"It looks too big to be a Metal Head." Jak remarked.

"That's because its _not_ ," I snapped at them. "And besides, he's friendly."

"Don't worry, he won't hurt you." Zephyr added.

"Yeah, right…" Jak muttered, but he and Terence dropped their guns by their sides. I smiled, nodding approvingly.

"Will you two keep it down? I'm trying to get some beauty rest!" Daxter had been sleeping on the bar table. Aroused by our cries, he raised his head, wondering what was going on. Then he saw the wolf.

"YAAAAAAHH! WOOOOLLFF!" He screamed, running across the slab of wood. Reaching Jak, he leaped on his head, where he clung tightly onto it, claws buried into the blond-green hair.

"Calm down, Dax," His friend muttered, rolling his eyes at the Ottsel's reaction. "It won't eat you."

"Uh-uh! I am _not_ coming down here until that beast goes away!" He gazed down at Celan fearfully. Jak sighed.

"What in the name of Mar is going on in here?" Torn demanded, marching in from the room upstairs. Spotting the wolf, he added "And who brought that dog in here?"

"Er, we did." Zephyr spoke up, pointing to me and him. Torn turned to us.

"Well then, get it out of here! This isn't some kind of animal shelter!"

"But we can't!" I said. The ex-KG commander looked at me suspiciously. "And why not?"

"Because he belongs to a friend of ours!" My brother interjected.

Torn stared at him. "Oh really?" He questioned, leaning back and crossing his arms.

"Yeah," Zephyr replied, nodding. "She told us that her dog went missing before we came here and we'd agreed to look for it. We're found it in Haven Forest, so we decided to bring it here to stay for the night and then go to the Wasteland tomorrow to give it back to her. I mean, if you let us." He added.

I stared at my sibling. For as long as I'd known Zephyr (which was since birth, mind you) he'd never lied to anyone. Especially not to me.

So why the sudden change in attitude?

And more importantly, would Torn believe him? I looked at the man, waiting for his answer. He was still gazing at Zephyr, as if he expected him to correct himself. For a few minutes, silence filled the room. Jak, Daxter and Terence were staring at Torn, also waiting for his response.

The red-haired man opened his mouth, breaking the stillness. I could swear everyone was holding their breath when that happened, including me.

"Alright," He muttered. "The wolf can stay. But you two have to take care of it. It will sleep in _your_ room and nowhere else. One wrong move and he'll be kicked out, along with you both. Understand? I don't want him running wild around here and breaking stuff. "

"Easy for you to say," Daxter muttered. " _I'm_ the one running the place." But Zephyr and I nodded.

"Good. Now that that's settled, everyone needs to go to bed. Its getting dark and I have a bunch of paperwork I need to get done." Torn ordered, walking back upstairs. Smiling, I followed him, with my brother and Celan behind, as our bedroom was on the next floor.

Above, we parted ways, with the Commander turning right and Zephyr, Celan and I steering in the opposite direction. Inside our room, I disappeared into the bathroom position in the corner, while my brother lay on his bed. The wolf, after traveling around in circles, curled up in the center of the floor between the beds. With his tail wrapped around his body, he laid his head on his crossed paws, closed his bright green eyes and dozed off.

With my damp hair and clothes, I crawled into bed, pulling the covers over my body, shifting into a comfortable spot. Across from me, my brother was already asleep, his light snores vibrating off the walls. I gazed up at the ceiling. Questions whirled around in my head. What had happened to Celan? How had he winded up in Haven Forest, so far form his original home? And, the most important, why had he split from his pack in the first place? M eyelids began to droop, and soon I fell asleep, knowing one thing. That only tomorrow would answer my curiosity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update! Finally, eh? Sorry to keep you waiting. I had trouble with this chapter, seeing as whether to just to let Zephyr and Selik bring Celan back to the Naughty Ottsel and persuade Torn to let him stay for the night, or to just let them bring him back to his pack. I chose the first option…and what you read above is the outcome. Wonder if it was any good…Maybe you can review to let me know? I'd appreciate it! By the way, since I have trouble writing and updating so much, I have decided to set a goal for myself: TO SUBMIT AT LEAST ONE CHAPTER EVERY MONTH. As shown by the capitals, it is of great importance to me. If you don't see a new chapter every four weeks or so, please tell me. Then I can beat myself up for it.
> 
> Terence: And I can help!
> 
> Me: Great…. -.- Anyways, now you know. Hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter and I'll see you all next month or sooner! Oh, and I do NOT own Jak, Daxter or the rest of the cast. I only own Selik, Zephyr, and Terence.


	8. Chapter 8

The morning sun shone brightly overhead as we boarded the Air Train. But despite its warm, reassuring rays, along with the clear, cloudless sky, I didn't feel happy. Instead, I was worried. Thoughts ran through my head, most of them centering on a certain pack leader and sibling. Exactly _how_ would the clan react to the return of their long-lost tribe head? Something inside told me that they weren't going to be very thrilled.

Zephyr was in his human form and was busy preparing Celan for the upcoming ride in the transport. Apparently, he didn't like being in vehicles very much, as they made him nervous. My brother was trying to calm him down, whispering soothing words into his ear that the wolf liked, petting his back repeatedly. They seemed to have an effect on him, as he nodded his head and kept licking his face until Zephyr was entirely covered in animal spit. I covered my mouth with my hand to hide my smirk of amusement.

Jak and Terence had also tagged along, as they'd received a message from Spargus City requiring assistance from the two men. The only way to the place was to ride the Air Train, so they decided to come with us, rather than hang around and waste time waiting for the transport to go and then come back as few minutes later.

Sliding onto an empty space on the bench, I dumped my pack next to me and leaned back, closing my eyes and breathing out, savoring the feel of cool metal against my skin. My twin sat next to me while Jak and Terence sat on the other end. Celan laid by Zephyr's feet, glancing around him at the spacious room anxiously.

There was a whirring sound and a loud _thump_ as the door of the transport lifted up and shut. Its engines started up with a small hissing noise. Slowly, the Air Train rose into the air. After a few moments of hovering, it tilted the front of the vehicle upwards, signaling that it was about to take off. Inside, Celan yelped in surprise, digging his claws deep into the metal floor. My younger sibling quickly quieted him, stroking his fur over and over again, muttering a few words of comfort. The wolf relaxed, nuzzling Zephyr's leg as a way of saying thanks. In response, he smiled and patted his head. Across the room, Jak watched the whole spectacle with a strange expression on his face. As if the scene had made him remember of something from long ago. I stared at him, wondering what was on his mind. Catching my gaze, he quickly diverted his eyes.

The remainder of the journey was silent, with no action or words spoken between any of us. When the transport landed in its usual spot near Spargus, we dismounted; Jak and Terence headed towards the city, shouldering their weapons, after bidding goodbye and confirming forced promises to return safely.

I turned to my brother. "So, where are we going now?" I asked him.

"North," He replied, pointing at the land stretched out before him. "The pack is a few miles up ahead, so we're going to run there." Celan barked in agreement.

I frowned. "But won't flying be faster?" I inquired.

"Yeah, it would," Zephyr agreed, "However, there are Marauders around this area, and we don't want to attract attention by flying overhead, being an easy target for them."

"Oh, alright then," I muttered. "Go and change." He grinned and nodded, closing his eyes hard and concentrating. Celan backed away from him, and calmly watched as his clan member transformed from a human to a beast. I did the same.

Grey fur grew from his head, spreading across his body down to the ends of his legs. Feathery wings burst from his shoulder blades, his mouth and nose elongated, turning into a long snout, and his hands and feet twisted and melted into paws, with long, sharp fangs and claws poking out from between toes and gums. Horns jutted out from his skull, and a bushy, spiked tail shot out from the end of his spine.

Rising to his feet, the wolf was immediately covered in saliva by a long, sticky tongue, coming from Celan. He was obviously delighted to have another wolf accompany him to his home. Happy yips emitted from his muzzle as he continued licking my brother's face, nuzzling his wet furry features. I watched, grinning, amused by this display of affection.

Calming his pack leader down, Zephyr detached himself from him. Turning to me, he jerked his snout behind at his back. I nodded and, striding up to my younger sibling, swung my legs up and over, positioning them securely against his sides. Leaning forward, I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly. Directing his head at Celan, he barked: We're ready. The other wolf nodded, and crouched, shifting his footpads so that they gripped the sand firmly. Zephyr did the same, growling a warning at me: Hold on. I nodded, pressing my limbs strongly against the silver fur.

Then, we were off.

Stiffening the muscles in their back legs, the pair of wolves sprang forward. Forepaws caught them, and again they pushed off of their hind feet, onward. So continued this method of movement, bursts of speed and energy powering their bodies. Clouds of dust trailed behind, no match for their swiftness. Tongues hung loosely from their open muzzles, trickling spittle. Pointed ears laid flat against their skulls, buffeted by the wind. Gasps of exhilaration and the need for oxygen emitted from their mouths. As for me, I simply clung on, my eyes and mouth shut to keep sand from coming into them, long brown, gold-streaked hair following me, elbows brushing feathers of wings, tucked closely alongside sides.

Curving right gracefully, Zephyr and Celan kept on running, their paws slamming forcefully into the soft ground. A large cavern, carved into a giant rock mountain, soon came into view. Our pace slowed as we came closer. In front of the cave, lying down, sitting or walking aimlessly around, were several wolves. Each had black or silver fur, with smudges of pure white on their paws, backsides, heads and tails. Wary sets of eyes peered out at us from every face, of different shades and shapes.

Celan trotted forward. The reactions were immediate. All the wolves ceased their activities. Those who had been lying down leaped up at the sight of their returned leader. Heads swiveled in our direction. Mouths opened and the pack members began to growl, a low menacing sound. A few of them bared their fangs threateningly, some barked out words in a fast foreign language. Having been taught the dialect by my brother, I knew what they were saying. And right now, I wished to Mar that I didn't.

They were insulting their pack leader. Saying that he was a traitor, a betrayer. A coward, a back-stabber, who had turned upon the clan and left them for his own selfish reasons.

A wolf stepped forward from the group. It was taller than the rest and stronger too. Smooth silver fur covered its body, ridden with numerous scars and scratches, particularly a long, deep nasty-looking one across its back. Like the rest of its tribe, splashes of snow-white dotted its muzzle, paws, sides, and the tip of its tail. Blood-red eyes glared out at us, blazing hatred at the pack leader.

"How dare you visit the clan and defile our homeland with your presence!" The wolf snarled, in the same language as the rest of its race. The hairs on its neck and tail were stiff, its lips stretched back, exposing rows of sharp teeth.

"I am not a deserter, Traiz. You of all people should know that." Celan's voice was calm, cool, his reply firm as he stared at the wolf in front of him.

"Not a deserter?" Traiz hissed, his eyes narrowing. "You walked off one night without anyone's knowledge and never returned, leaving us without a leader. We were forced to fend for ourselves, alone, against other clans and food." His voice rose. "We depended on you, and you abandoned us! What are you to us now?"

There was no response from the clan leader, so the wolf continued. "I'll tell you what your role is in this group: Nothing! You are worthless. You don't deserve to be clan leader, not after what you have done. Lucky for us, the older wolves seem to have come to this conclusion and have elected a new chief for our tribe," Traiz's tone changed, becoming smug. " _Me_."

Silence greeted this piece of news, as every wolf had either gone into shock or had chosen not to talk. At last, Celan spoke. "Is this true?" His question wasn't directed at Traiz; rather it was aimed at the voters, who had nominated him. They were sitting in the back, near the entrance of the cave, with their heads bowed low. Upon hearing the query, though, one of them raised her head. She was an attractive wolf, with silky-looking silver-white fur and dark eyes.

"I'm afraid it is, sir," She replied regrettably. "You see, when you left, conditions changed. Food and drink became scarce, and the weather worsened. Plus, the other groups had begun fighting over resources. We had no other choice but to pick another head for our clan! Traiz was a good option then..." Her statement went unfinished. Celan nodded.

"It is alright. I understand the cause for your actions," He replied. Turning to Traiz, his bright green eyes hardened, turning into shards of jade, as did his voice. "But I cannot allow this to continue. Now that I am back, I will reclaim my title as pack leader. You have done well, Traiz, in leading this tribe, and I'll always be grateful. Your part is over now, and you may rest for the time being."

But Traiz merely sneered at his words. "I don't think so! You have been gone too long. The older wolves have spoken, you heard them. I am now the rightful ruler of the Midnight clan. Nothing can change that." He paused and then added with a smirk, "Unless you wish to fight me for the title?"

Hearing the question, everyone went still. They gazed at the silver-haired wolf curiously, disbelievingly, wondering if their leader had gone mad or something. Fighting another pack member, especially the leader, was a sign of rebellion and was only used as a last resort. The loser of the match was often killed or, if the challenger refused to end his/her life, was banished from the group and forced to a shameful, humiliating life.

Just then, a wolf nearby spoke up. It was a male, with fine black fur streaked with silver and white on its paws and tail. "Uh, sire," It began, "I don't think that a battle is necessary for…" But Traiz cut it off.

"Silence, Lazrael!" He snapped. Turning his attention back to pack leader, he cocked his head. "Well?" he asked.

Eyes locked upon the former group ruler, awaiting a response. No one dared to whisper a word. Tension swirled in the wind around us. The wolf was staring at the ground with a thoughtful look in his bright green eyes, contemplating whether to accept or refuse the challenge. At last, he spoke.

"I…have no desire to create conflict over such a simple matter," He said, "But for the good of the clan, I _will_ fight you."

"Fine then," Traiz growled. "So be it. The match will be combat to the death, and will take place in a week's time, when the full moon rises. Meanwhile, you will be accepted into the tribe, not as a member, but simply as a guest. Do you agree to the terms?" Celan nodded solemnly, and trotted past him. The current pack leader followed, along with the rest of the clan. As one, they disappeared into the darkness of the cave.

Zephyr nudged my knee, and I started-Being so immersed in the conversation, I hadn't noticed that he was next to me. Looking down, I saw him walking away and, taking as a cue that the meeting was over, began trailing behind. I hadn't gone more than a few paces before I stopped. Someone was calling my name.

Turning, I saw a wolf with smooth black fur and recognized it as the one who had protested earlier about Traiz's decision to fight with Celan. Lazrael, his name was. Watching as he trotted up to me, I eyed him coolly. "What do you want?" I asked him.

The wolf shuffled his front paws nervously before replying. "I want to come back to the city with you."

"Uh-huh. And why is that?" I inquired.

"It has been a long time since I've seen anything else besides this desert. I wish to know what life is like beyond this dry place. And…" He paused, his blue-gray eyes shifting anxiously from side to side, as if he was about to tell a secret. "Traiz asked me to spy on the humans. He wants to know if they are reliable, and if they are wishes to form an alliance with them, to help defend against any evil that comes."

"The why don't you go to Spargus and do that there?" I asked, but the wolf shook his head.

"He has already watched them for several days and, deciding that they're harmless, allied with their king. He has promised them protection from any Marauders and Metal Heads that come near the city, and in return, requires them not to go near their territory and to stop hunting their species." Lazrael replied.

I frowned. My younger sibling had told me of this. Almost all of the clans, except for the ones living in dangerous areas, were being sought out and killed, the huntsmen thinking that they were vicious, bloodthirsty beasts that were uncontrollable, intent on destroying others. Because of this, the pack's numbers had dwindled drastically, almost down to nothing. Zephyr himself had had a few close calls, often meeting the slayers while searching for food with other group members. He would show me the scars on his body while telling me of his encounter with them, few of which looked so awfully deep and gruesome that I wondered exactly how he had managed to stay alive.

"Well alright," I muttered. "But first I need to tell my brother that you're coming along." He nodded understandingly, and I turned and ran ahead to where Zephyr stood a few feet away, gazing at us intriguingly. Kneeling down, I whispered into his ear a quick summary of our conversation. After a short moment where he took time to consider the option, he nodded. Smiling, I raised my head and gestured to Lazrael who, grinning loped over to where we were. Together, we took off across the sand, with me riding on Zephyr's back like before and the black wolf beside us, headed for the transport that would take us back to Haven City.

Stopping a few inches from the large blue vehicle, I dismounted, waiting patiently as my brother transformed back into his human form. Seeing that his own pack member was changing, Lazrael did the same. His appearance was that of a young man, about twenty-five or so, with long, black hair tied into a short ponytail and dark blue eyes. He was clad in a KG Commander's outfit, similar to Torn's, minus the knife, suggesting that he'd been a part of the guard unit in the past. A set of handguns were shoved into the thigh holsters, serving as his weapons.

Stepping into the Air Train, I quickly sat down on the left bench, my brother beside me. Lazrael seated himself on the right bench. As the door slammed shut and the engines started up, I glanced at his face. He looked calm and unsurprised, opposite of Celan; as if this were a normal routine that he did very day, despite the fact that he'd lived in the Wasteland for the past ten years.

Sunlight poured in from the sky as the door creaked open slowly. We stood up and walked off the transport. Outside, the sky was bight and clear, with a few stray clouds hanging in the air. I took a glimpse at Lazrael. He seemed to be enjoying the city, taking in deep breaths of oxygen-which was strange, considering the detail that it was practically _clogged_ with pollution from the factories. Guess he thought the atmosphere was a lot cleaner here than in the desert…

"Come on. Let's get going." Zephyr muttered to us, pointing at the Naughty Ottsel sign glowing in the distance. I nodded, and we started walking around the tower and across the bridge connected to it.

It was quiet inside the bar. Jak and Terence were both sitting on bar stools next to each other, conversing in hushed tones. Daxter was perched on the blonde's shoulder as always, listening attentively to their words, commenting here and there. Torn was located in a booth placed within a corner, his head bent low, concentrating hard on several maps and papers, obviously trying to come up with a plan to beat the KG robots and the Metal Heads. Hearing our footsteps as we came into the entrance, he raised his head and said "There you are! I was wondering what took you two so long! Who have you got with you this time?" He added, spotting Lazrael behind me.

"Er…" I muttered, trying to find an explanation for the existence of the man who was standing back of me. But before I could finish my sentence, the guy stepped forward, snapped a smart salute to the ex-KG Commander, and introduced himself.

"My name is Lieutenant Lazrael, commanding officer of KG Squad nine. I have come here to explore the city and wish to stay here for a few days. I require no assistance, though I will offer my own to you, merely some food and drink. May I be a burden to you, I will depart immediately and will not revisit." The whole statement was barked out in a fast, harsh manner, all the while staying in the salutation position.

Torn raised an eyebrow. "So, you used to be in the Krimzon Guard, eh?" He asked the man in front of him.

"Yes, sir." He replied solemnly, eyes fixed to the scene before him.

"How do I know you aren't a spy for the KG bots and their leader?" He questioned sharply, eyes narrowing into slits.

"Sir, I have lived in the desert during previous years, and have had no contact with any beings while doing so, not even with the people of Spargus. How could I possibly be in association with them?" Lazrael answered coolly.

"True," The red-head mused and then nodded. "Alright, you may live here for the time being, but you must be useful and provide assistance, as you said yourself. I tolerate no laziness or disorganization around this place. One act like that and you'll be thrown out of here. Understood?" He growled.

"I comprehend your rules clearly, sir." Lazrael replied, lowering his hand from his forehead.

"Good. Now then," Torn muttered, "Everyone go upstairs and rest. There's an extra room to the right alongside Selik's. You can sleep there, Lazrael." Nodding, I headed towards the curtain that obscured the stairs and, brushing it aside, climbed up the steps and turned left. Zephyr and Lazrael followed me, while Jak and Terence went to the left. Bidding good night, the older man separated to his own place beside ours. In our own private area, Zephyr and I took turns taking a shower and then fell into each of our beds. Closing our eyes, we quickly dozed off. My last thought before I went off to slumber-land was that the whole day had turned out quite nicely, with barely any need to use weapons or do harm to another.

The next day…wasn't very pleasant at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes! Another long chapter! I should really try to make them shorter…Oh, well. Being a person who keeps my word, I have updated on my series this month. Then again, this'll probably be my _only_ update for this month. Jeez, I need to write faster, do I? XD But at least I don't get beaten up by Terence! :D
> 
> Terence: Aw, man…And so close, too! (Hangs head)
> 
> Me: Yeah, whatever. The next two chapters will probably be submitted faster, since I kind of have both of them planned out in my head already. I'll try to find some time to do them.
> 
> Terence: And if you don't… (Grins evilly and cracks knuckles)
> 
> Me: (Gulps) Yeah, I'll _definitely_ have some time to do them. For now, though, feel free to submit a review! Oh and there will be a slight twist in the next chapter, so consider you warned. Plus, I do NOT own Jak, Daxter or the rest of the cast. They belong to Naughty Dog. I only own Selik, Zephyr, Terence and Lazrael. I'd like know what you think of him, by the way.
> 
> Terence: Er…Does the twist involve me, by any chance?
> 
> Me: You'll see… (Lightning flashes overhead, illuminating my wicked smile)
> 
> Terence: (Whimpers)


	9. Chapter 9

It was a peaceful day in Haven City, unusual for a war zone. The sky was a bright blue and rays of sunlight peeked out from between soft, white-vapor clouds. Silence filled the area save for the murmur of people conversing with each other as they walked, and the wheezy hum of Zoomers carrying passengers to their destinations.

Inside the Naughty Ottsel, it was the complete opposite.

Although Torn had given us the day off, we still had work to do. Daxter had asked (more like _demanded)_ that we help around the place, under the threat that he would remove us from the bar permanently, no matter how much the Commander needed us. Having no choice, we all had to get off our butts and do the jobs that the Ottsel assigned us. So for the next few hours, Zephyr, Jak and I ran around carrying trays loaded with food and drinks, serving somewhat patient customers and receiving tips and criticism in return. Meanwhile, Terence was behind the bar table, struggling with a line of people and their money, along with an old cash register that hadn't been used in centuries (Where the money was stored then, I didn't know). Tess was also behind the counter handing out drinks. Daxter himself was busy welcoming the citizens, almost getting trampled by them because of his small size. Lazrael was nowhere to be found near the site, as he had gone to the Wasteland earlier in the day to report back to the Midnight Clan about his first day in the city, unbeknownst to Torn.

As the day wore on, the flow of people coming in and out of the bar slowed to a trickle, and then gradually stopped. Finally, we were able to take a break. Sinking into a stool, I sighed in relief, rubbing my face with both of my hands. Untying the apron from my body, I threw it to one side, my elbows leaning against the table's surface. Glancing over at my brother, I saw that he had done the same, his own white protective garment hung neatly across the long wooden slab. Catching my gaze, he grinned and gave me a thumbs-up.

"Busy day, eh, sis?" He asked me.

"Yeah," I replied, smiling back. "Sure is."

My twin opened his mouth to continue, but just then, Tess walked up. Placing two mugs filled with light, amber liquid on the table, probably beer, she turned to us and smiled warmly.

"Thanks so much for helping us with the bar," She said. "I know that this was supposed to be your day off, and I'm sorry for the trouble Daxter caused you guys. He can be quite commanding at times. Please,"-She pushed the beakers towards my sibling and I-"Accept these as a token of gratitude."

"No prob," I replied. "Glad we could offer some assistance."

"Yeah," Zephyr agreed. "Same here. And thank _you_ for the drinks." He added.

"My pleasure." The blonde woman responded. We nodded and my sibling leaned forward, reaching out for one of the cups.

Just as his pale fingers touched the glass, something happened. His arm suddenly jerked back, as if it had a will of its own. The unexpected movement caused mug to spin and fall on its side. Alcohol flooded out of the slim container and across the table, staining the wood a muddy brown. At the same time, my twin cried out, jolting in the stool and crashed to the floor, clutching his chest. He writhed in pain, rolling back and forth, and limbs shaking violently. Breath emitted from his mouth in sharp gasps.

Eyes, squeezed tightly shut, opened in a slit. His narrow gaze met my wide-eyed stare and words choked out of his trembling mouth, "S-sis…Its happening…I c-can't…" he broke off in a loud scream, his eyes closing again. But not before I saw his irises. They were abnormal and slowly changing color, lightening from a deep violet to an unmistakable shade of bright sky-blue…

I whirled around. Behind me, Jak and Terence were running forward. They'd been sitting at one of the booths during the break, and upon hearing my brother's shout, along with seeing him fall out of his chair, decided to go and see what was wrong.

"Stay back!" I yelled at them, holding up my hands. The two of them halted and noticing my scared expression, began to back away. I did the same, keeping a close eye on my younger sibling. At the bar table, Tess, noting our retreat, quickly separated herself from the bottle-lined shelf she was leaning on. Dashing across the thin space provided by the desk, she snatched up Daxter (who'd been sleeping on the thin slab of wood while we were relaxing), deftly leaped over the counter and sprinted to where the rest of us were standing near the side wall.

On the opposite end, Zephyr had finally lost control, and his other self began to take over. A savage smile appeared on his face and his eyes, tinted an intense light-blue, and gleamed sinisterly. Slowly, he began to transform. Grey fur enveloped his body, hands and feet curled into claw-tipped paws, his mouth and nose extended and melted, twisted into a muzzle, with fangs poking out of gums. Soft, auburn-colored wings burst from his shoulder blades, along with a pair of razor-sharp horns protruding from his head. At last, a spiked tail slid out the end of his spine, waving back and forth through the air.

Its conversion complete, the wolf let out a howl of triumph. The sound rang around the room, and I resisted the urge to cover my ears. The people around me tensed, and both Terence and Tess shifted themselves into a fighting stance, their arms raised. It was clear that they were prepared to defend themselves if necessary. The blonde woman surprised me: I'd figured that she was unreliable, a simple waitress that needed protection at all costs, a weak, fragile being. Guess appearances can be deceiving, eh?

Suddenly, Jak charged forward. The wolf, spotting him, leaped, its fangs bared, claws out. The blonde was ready, though. Snapping out his leg, he caught the wolf a kick that connected with its ribs, knocking the breath out of it and flinging it backwards. Glass shattered as the wolf collided with a wall, its head smashing the window. Jak walked towards the injured wolf, gun raised and aimed at its head.

"No!" I screamed, running forward and hurling myself at him. My arms wrapped tightly around his waist, causing Jak to loose his balance and topple sideways. The red laser left the animal as I fell on top of him, pinning his body to the floor.

"Get off of me, Selik!" He cried, struggling wildly, but I refused to disengage myself and pressed my weight harder on him.

A frightened whimper made me look up. Across the room, backed into a corner, was Daxter. Awoken by the wolf's cry, he'd tried to jump onto Jak's shoulder as an instinct, but the distance between his landing place and his takeoff place (which had been Tess's arm) was too far and had instead fallen onto the floor. In the midst of the battle, he'd attempted to catch up to his friend, scurrying back and forth trying not to get squashed, and had come face-to-face with the wolf, who had gotten away alive thanks to my smart move, and was now in the process of having a little snack to itself.

"Nice doggy…G-good doggy…You wouldn't hurt a harmless Ottsel now, would you?" The orange-striped rat squeaked, cowering against the wall with his arms covering his head as the wolf advanced. Saliva trickled out its muzzle, dripping the rodent's head, while its eyes gazed at its prey hungrily.

"Daxter! Run!" Jak cried. Untangling himself from my body, he rose and picked up his gun. Yet no matter how fast he ran to save his companion, he knew it was too late, as did I. By the time it took to aim and shoot a bullet, the wolf would have already eaten the Ottsel in no less than two bites.

"Don't touch my Daxxie!" A voice cried, leaping forward. Landing beside the wolf, the speaker swung her arm, dealing the animal a harsh blow across its muzzle. The wolf's head jerked to one side, and blood sprayed out of its mouth. Darting over to where her lover was, she quickly scooped up Daxter and hurried away, out of harm's way.

Jak sprang forward. Nudging Tess aside, along with Dax, he raised his gun. But the wolf, who had recovered from the unexpected attack, was prepared. Rushing to the side, out of the weapon's targeting range; the wolf launched itself at him. The young man let out a grunt as he was pushed up against the wall, the beast positioning itself in front of him so that he was unable to move. He struggled to free himself, but couldn't, and was helpless as the wolf's mouth opened. A yell ripped from his throat as the beast's fangs sank deep into his shoulder. The wolf calmly removed its paws from its victim's biceps, releasing him. Jak fell onto the ground grasping his injured limb, jerking and twitching violently. Blood seeped through his fingers, staining his blue shirt.

"Jak!" Terence cried, running forward. Reaching the blonde, he put his arms around him. The wolf, noticing the young man, growled and trotted forward. He glared at it, and lashed out with his leg, shouting "Get away from us, you beast!"

Sharp fangs clamped down on the appendage, piercing the skin and cloth to dig into the soft flesh below. Terence screamed in pain as the incisors buried themselves deeper, hanging onto the limb like a dog with a bone. Wrenching his foot away, he clasped his shaking hands around the wound, and then fell backwards onto the floor, intense spasms emitting from his body. The wolf turned, heading for the door.

Picking myself of the ground, I raced towards the animal, intent on stopping it before it could go outside. Just as one of my hands were a few inches from the grey fur, one of Jak's flailing legs slammed into my ankle, causing me to trip and fall to the floor. The wolf paid no attention at my effort to catch it, merely continued to walk towards the door. Once it opened, it ran, away from the building and into daylight.

As I got to my feet again, a gravelly voice cried out, "What the hell happened…Jak! Terence!" It was Torn. He'd been upstairs doing paperwork, and had been interrupted by the noise below. Wondering what was happening, he'd decided to go downstairs, only to be met with the sight of a disarrayed bar and Jak and Terence convulsing on the floor. Running over to where they were, he examined his soldiers for any injuries. Preoccupied about my younger brother, I dashed over to the door, ignoring the Commander's question of "Selik, what's going on…?" which went unfinished as I walked outside, the entrance snapping shut behind me.

The scene in the city was similar to that of a battlefield. Bodies were strewn across the street, accompanied by splashes of blood on the walls and buildings. Screams of pain and fear echoed throughout the air, with the occasional moan of despair and agony from the fatally wounded and bark of orders from captains of fighting armies. Fires popped up from the ground and from houses and shops, burning what was left of the buildings. Chunks of stone and cement littered the ground, broken apart from cracked edifices towering above the utopia like redwood trees in a regular forest.

 _This is what Haven City is supposed to look like. This is what the people are hiding from the rest of the world._ I thought as I gazed around the ruined city.

 _This is what happens when a nightmare becomes reality._

And my own brother had caused it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A surprising twist, huh? Bet that caught you off guard! There was originally going to be more to this chapter, but the part got too long, so I cut it into two parts instead of cramming it into one and making you all take forever to read. You can thank me in the future.
> 
> Terence: I'm thanking you already for not putting me in the twist!
> 
> Me: Read again, silly. I said _two_ parts, not one. That means there's still a chance you could play a role. And I have something good in store for you… (Chuckles evilly)
> 
> Terence: Why did I have to be an OC to a sick, twisted psychopath? WHY?
> 
> Me: (Rolls eyes) Oh, quit whining. It isn't so bad. I have to go now, so I hope you all liked this chapter and please feel free to submit a review!
> 
> Terence: (Sobs in corner)


	10. Chapter 10

For a moment, I stood there, contemplating on what exactly I should do. The city was in danger. My _home_ was under attack. Should I defend it from the wolf that was terrorizing it, my own brother? If so, that meant injuring my own sibling, my own blood. Possibly even killing him. Or should not take a stand at all, simply hide in a safe spot until the peril was over, then find Zephyr, take him along, pack up our belongings and flee the city, leaving everyone to fend for them selves, just like we did to our hometown? Yeah, I know it would be cowardly, and I know that I was going to pay for that later in the future, but at least the two of us would be _safe_ and still _have_ a future. That much was important. Such slim options…So hard to choose…Or maybe I didn't have to choose either of them. Maybe there was a third choice. Perhaps…

A terrified cry yanked me from my thoughts. Looking up, I saw a woman a few feet away running across the port bridge away leading away from the right tower. An infant was clutched to her breast, shielding the young child from harm. Behind her was the wolf, its paws pounding the ground as it chased the female, tongue trailing at the rear, a yearning look in its eyes. The woman's breathing was ragged, her legs stumbling and tripping on her long skirt and loose rocks as she fled.

Sensing that its prey was weakening, the wolf pounced. Claws dug into her back, causing the lady to fall forward with a frightened shriek. The infant tumbled out of her arms, sliding to a halt a few feet away. The woman whimpered and tried to get up to retrieve her child, but before she could move, fangs sank into her throat. There was a grisly ripping sound. Blood sprayed out her neck like a fountain, splattering the wolfs' muzzle and the body. The woman's body went still. Noticing its prey was dead; the wolf raised its head and howled in victory. Trotting over to where the infant lay, he gazed down at it in disgust. The young child was wailing fearfully, wondering where his mother was, and longing for her care and comfort. One swipe of the paw cut the cry short, along with the baby's life.

"Noo!" I screamed. The wolf lowered its head, searching for the speaker. Blue eyes locked onto mine and it detached itself from the body and began running towards me. I whimpered and drew out one of my pistols from its holster with quaking hands. Aiming near the wolfs' feet, I pulled the trigger.

Sparks flew up from the ground as the bullet made contact. The gun jumped in my shaking hands, making me nearly drop it. Before I could fire again, however, the wolf was upon me. Shoving me roughly against the cement, its paws on my shoulders, it stared down at me with a predatory grin of delight.

"No…Please brother…Don't do this…" I begged, but my pleading went unheard. Slowly, as if savoring its prize, the wolf leaned down and opened its mouth, teeth directed at my jugular.

 _This is it,_ I thought as the fangs neared my neck. _This is how it ends. Just like in the dream._

Just as the incisors scraped my throat, something slammed into the animal, making my whole body shake with the impact and sending the wolf flying into a pile of rubble. Struggling to my feet, I saw a figure rise from the ground, and realized that it was my rescuer.

Only it didn't look like one. Instead, its appearance was one of a beast. Pale blue skin covered its body, and its wild mane of a hair was tinged bone-white. Black horns jutted out of its skull, sharp fangs protruded from the sides of its mouth and long claws adorned the ends of its fingers, about eight inches in length. But the most frightening feature was its eyes. They were pitch-black, with no pupils, like a pair of endless holes you could dive into and never come out of. Scary.

Then I saw the familiar blue tunic, with its large iron ring in the center held there by thick leather straps, and realized who my savior was: Jak! But why did he look like that? What had happened to him while in the bar?

The wolf pushed itself onto its paws, growling furiously, and crouched. The demon snarled back and struck a fighting stance. Accepting the challenge, the wolf leaped into the air, fangs bared and claws unsheathed. But the monster did nothing, merely turned to one side, causing the wolf to sail and land past him. The animal scowled in anger, spinning around and jumped at its opponent again. This time, the demon swung out a clawed hand, connecting with the wolf's eyes. Blood splattered onto the floor as the wolf staggered to a halt on the ground, shaking its head back and forth, yelping in pain as it was temporarily blinded. The demon smirked and lashed out with his leg, catching the wolf on its side and causing it to slam into a wall. The wolf whimpered as its back was smashed against the cement barrier, the bones splintering and cracking with the force of the blow. Grinning evilly, the dark being strode forward, meaning to finish off his worthless adversary.

"Don't kill him!" I shrieked, dashing up to the beast. My arms curled around his own and I tugged, preventing him from going any farther. Looking casually over his shoulder, the demon sneered at the feeble restraint and swiped at me with his free limb. Jagged ebony nails scraped across my skin and into my flesh, leaving five pointed lines on my arm. I screamed in agony and jerked away, grasping my bleeding appendage. The demon ignored my reaction and turned back to his prey.

Only to find that it wasn't there. Recovering from the harsh beating its enemy had given it, the wolf had made use of the distraction, and had taken off. Gazing up into the sky, the demon and I saw the animal hovering a few feet above us, wings spread and slowly fanning the air, creating a cold breeze that blew on our heads. On the ground, the dark being turned and hissed in my direction, as if blaming me for letting his challenger escape. I glared at him, and the demon snorted in response, facing back to where his enemy hung in the atmosphere just out of reach.

Something flashed across my vision, distorting the sky. A blur smashed into the wolf, causing it to loose its balance and keel sideways. Quick as lightning, the shape disappeared, only to reappear a few inches in front of the wolf's muzzle, where I could get a good look of the attacker.

It was another beast, though unlike Jak. Snow-white skin swathed its body, along with strands of shoulder-long hair of a similar shade. Claws tipped its pale fingers and fangs filled its mouth. A pair of glowing wings was attached to his shoulder blades, radiating calm and intimidation. A long, thin, catlike tail, laden with spikes, flicked out from the end of his spine. It eyes were pure black save for a diagonal streak of white. And like the blonde, I recognized the being by his clothing. It was Terence.

Regaining its balance, the wolf snarled at the new foe and, flapping its wings, sped forward, intent on bringing it down just as it had done. The creature did nothing, merely watched as the animal flew straight towards it, eyes glinting menacingly as it neared its opponent.

Then…it vanished.

Puzzled, the wolf stopped and looked around for its enemy, wondering where it had gone to. The creature re-emerged on the wolf's left side, and before its adversary could react, raised one clawed hand and slashed at the vulnerable area. Black talons grazed the grey fur, tearing into the soft tissue and flesh underneath it. Traveling upwards, the sharp nails pierced the wing fastened to its back, cutting through the delicate veins and muscles. Roaring in pain and unable to fly, the wolf began to fall, tumbling through the sky with its wing trailing behind. In the cascade of feathers, the wolf crashed onto the bridge attaching the right tower to the rest of the city. The creature, sensing its rival's defeat, let loose an ear-splitting screech of triumph, making those down below cringe at the sound.

Badly injured, the wolf struggled onto its paws, whimpering in agony. Numerous gashes and bruises covered its rough grey fur, some crusted with dried blood, others still bleeding profusely. Feathers from its torn wing, tucked securely against its body, were scattered on the cement, a few floating in the murky-blue waters below. The poor animal looked as though another severe hit would end its life.

"There it is!" A Freedom League guard shouted to his two companions, pointing at the wounded wolf. His order cut through the air like a razor-sharp knife: "Shoot it!"

It happened as if in slow-motion. I saw the guards raise their weapons, aimed at the wolf, and saw their fingers pull the triggers; saw blazing-red lasers and blinding bolts of electricity spit out from the ends of their rifles. I saw the projectiles strike the wolfs chest, saw its eyes widen in shock and pain, saw drops of blood fly from the upper torso, arc through the air and splash on the ground. I heard the animal's howl of agony, as it reeled back from the intense blow, and topple sideways onto the hard cement with a sickening _thud_.

I had seen everything. Yet I did nothing.

At last, I reacted. "ZEPHYR!" I screamed, running as fast as I could across the port, jumping over corpses and wounded people lying on the ground, desperate to get to my brother. As I ran, I saw him transform, changing back into his original form, his arms and legs twitching as though someone possessed him. By the time I reached my younger sibling, he was entirely human, with no trace of his alter ego left. Except for his horrific wounds.

Kneeling beside his lean figure, I stared at him. Blood was smeared across his clothes, hands, face, arms, legs and both upper and lower parts. Basically his whole body. The crimson liquid was especially prominent on his chest, where several small holes were embedded. Cuts and many other wounds littered his stature, gained from the battles he'd fought with the guards and two beasts, which hadn't moved from their positions, aerial or ground.

Hands pressed gently against his form, moving back and forth purposefully, while lips opened and closed, repeated a single phrase.

No reaction.

Frantic, I shook him harder, shouted his name louder. Zephyr remained still, his dark eyes closed, face pale. Tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over. I couldn't lose him. Not now, not ever. Yet here he was, as motionless as a statue, and here _I_ was, begging him to wake up. It couldn't be true. It simply couldn't. He wasn't…was he?

Behind me, I could hear the leader cheering, celebrating with his fellow soldiers, congratulating each other over their latest victory, that they had done their duty, ridding Haven City of a so-called evil menace that was my brother.

Who was, by the way, _dead?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for Spring Break! Otherwise, this chapter wouldn't have been submitted so early. The twist isn't really over, there's a third part to this that I forgot to mention. Sorry! But the worst is over. For now, feel free to submit a review. I really want to know what you thought of this.
> 
> Terence: That's it?
> 
> Me: Hmm? What do you mean, Ter?
> 
> Terence: I mean, that's all you did? Just turn me into some flying freak that attacks Zephyr? Come on, that's gotta be the lamest thing you did ever did to me!
> 
> Me: Even lamer than the time Selik and Zephyr tied you up and tossed you into a closet, dressed up in a costume and made you think you were captured by aliens?
> 
> Zephyr: (Snickers) Man that was funny…And by the way, Ter that cut you gave me hurt! (Rubs side)
> 
> Terence: No, that _wasn't_ funny! And quite crying! I didn't hurt you that bad.
> 
> Zephyr: Yes you did! I...
> 
> Me: Alright, get over it, you two. (Rolls eyes) Boys…Hope you all liked this chapter, and as always, I do NOT own Jak, Daxter or the rest of the cast. They belong to Naughty Dog. I only own Selik, Zephyr, Terence and Lazrael. Bye and see you all next time! (Waves)


	11. Chapter 11

Slowly, I rose to my feet. Emotions raged through my mind, making my body tremble at the intensity of them. Shock, grief, pain…fury. And all of my feelings were directed at several people: The ones who had senselessly killed my brother. They'd had done the act in the name of justice. But what justice was dealt when your younger sibling, the only kin you had left in this world, was murdered? I'll tell you what: _None._

I strode forward, my legs carrying me as though they had a will of their own. The movements were mechanical, robotic. Head down, expression shielded by my dark, streaked hair, hands tense, yet remaining limp. The soldiers, clad in blue armor, were unaware of my approach, as they were preoccupied with rejoicing over their latest victory at returning Haven City to its "safe and peaceful status" that had hung over the town before my twin had came by and ripped the quiet condition to shreds. Yeah, right!

My right hand lashed out, connecting with the side of a guard's helmet, halting the man's accomplishment speech mid-sentence. The dull _thunk_ as my fingers made contact with the metal resounded throughout the area, overwhelming the joyous mood the men were engrossed in.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" One of his companions shouted, eyes narrowing in surprise and annoyance at the indignation of my strike. The other men glared at me.

"You killed him!" I screamed at the males, raising my head. Tears sparkled in the corners of my eyes. "Imbeciles! Bast…!"

A hand shot out, curled into a fist. It connected with my jaw, interrupting the insult. My head jerked to one side, teeth clenched and I reeled backwards from the force of the blow.

Roaring in pain and rage, I righted myself and stepped forward, intent on springing on my attackers. A pair of hands grasped my wrists, firmly holding them in place, while pale arms snaked around my waist, preventing me from dealing any damage to the guards.

"LET…ME…GO!" I howled, struggling wildly against the restraints, but Jak and Terence only tightened their grip on my body. Meanwhile Torn had arrived on the scene. Shoving the Freedom League Guards roughly aside with a disgusted look, he squatted beside Zephyr, extended two fingers, and rested them lightly on the side of the unconscious teen's neck. His navy-blue eyes narrowed slightly in concentration, as if he was searching for something. They widened a bit, and a small smile slipped across his face, built purely of relief. His back straightened, and he got to his feet slowly.

"He isn't dead." The redhead proclaimed. I stopped resisting and stared at him in shock. Sensing that my opposition had ended, Jak and Terence released me.

"What did you say?" I whispered my golden-yellow eyes wide.

"I said, he's alive," Torn replied, and then added "But just barely. The bullets that these idiotic _drones_ shot," He gestured to the guards, "hit 'im hard. He needs medical attention and fast. Alright," He began rapping out orders, "Terence, you and Jak carry Zephyr back to the Naughty Ottsel. Be careful with 'im now. One bump or jolt and he'll go into a coma. Selik, you follow 'em back and make sure they don't injure him further. As for you three numb-skulls," He turned to the guards, "You guys obviously don't know how to handle your weapons very well. I told you to _stun_ the wolf, _not_ kill him! Head to my office, all of ya!" All of us nodded and went to do our assigned roles.

I did my job well, even cradling my brother's head as the two young men brought him through the bar entrance. Tess and Daxter, seeing the new arrivals with their burden, scurried over to offer assistance. Together, we laid my twin across a booth seat as gently as we could.

Then came the messy part. In order to examine the wounds, Tess had to rip open his shirt. Zephyr was _not_ going to be pleased when he woke up and found out he had a tear as big as a fireball made of Yellow Eco. That is, if he ever woke up.

The injury was bad, everyone could tell. His neck and entire body was smeared with blood, and the many bullet holes were littered across his chest. Purple and black bruises covered his side and back, along with long cuts across his left shoulder blade where Terence had sliced his wing.

"Damn!" I heard Torn swear and looked up. He'd been searching the shelves, looking for some medicine that could help heal my brother.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, worried.

"We're out of Green Eco!" He replied.

"What? Please tell me you're joking!" I cried, examining his face for any sign that he was about to burst into laughter. His features remained serious.

"Afraid not, Sel," He said, shaking his head sadly. "I guess your there's no hope for your brother then. I'm sorry."

I opened my mouth to respond, but a voice cut me off. "If you're going to just stand around and mope, then get out of the way and let us fix him."

Surprised, everyone turned and stared at the speaker. Jak and Terence were walking towards us; the sleeves of their shirts neatly pulled back, an unusually stern expression on both their faces. Everyone was silent as they parted to let the two of them through. Even Torn didn't object to their decision.

 _Guess they must trust in the two of them a lot,_ I thought, stepping back and allowing the teens to see my brother. They observed the wounds on his body closely, taking in every detail, calculating the severity of the each scratch and bruise. Finally, the blonde nodded and spoke.

"You ready, Ter?" He asked to the pale man beside him. He gestured with his head an affirmation. "Alright then, let's proceed. Everyone stand back." He told the surrounding people. We did so obediently. Stretching his fingers with a sharp _crack_ , Jak leaned forward and rested his hands lightly on Zephyr's chest. Terence did the same, aligning his fingers so that the tips of his touched with the ends of his partner's.

White lightning crackled down their arms, traveling across their hands. Once the electricity reached their bonded fingertips, it spread outward; forming a large, glowing oval sphere. The air began to hum. Bolts of energy shot out of the orb, restoring everything they touched to its full condition. Cuts closed themselves, the dark bruises lightened until they blended in with normal skin. I and the rest of the group watched, awed at the spectacle, as the harmers became the healers.

Finally, Jak and Terence removed their palms from Zephyr's chest. Instantly, the light disappeared, leaving nothing behind. Where the bullet holes and blood were, there was smooth skin. Not a single scar marked the area.

"…Thank you…" I whispered, my face filled with gratitude. I would have thrown my arms around the two men and cried in relief, but knowing both didn't like being touched in any way, the action wasn't possible. They nodded in response and Terence walked up to me.

Bending down, he gripped my left arm gently, but firmly, muttering "Let's take care of that cut." Puzzled, I started to protest and say that I was fine, but stopped when I saw the long scratches near my shoulder. Each was about seven inches long, crusted with blood. A large purple bruise had emitted from the wounded, engulfing almost my entire upper arm. I gulped softly. How had I obtained this? Oh, yeah, now I remember.

"Hold still." Terence said and I nodded, closing my eyes. I heard a slight fizzing sound and felt strange warmth on my arm. The feeling intensified until I felt like my limb was on fire. Then the burning dimmed, fading into a cool sensation, which slowly grew faint and vanished. I opened my eyes to find my arm fully healed, save for a few thin scars across my skin.

"Thanks, I feel really…Hey! Let go! What are you doing?" My sentence of appreciation went unfinished, as Terence suddenly straightened and walked towards the bar table while keeping his hand attached to my arm, so that I was dragged along. I tugged, but his grip was secure.

Pushing me softly into a battered bar stool and loosening his fingers, he stepped back a few paces, gazing at me with flat, unreadable amber eyes. Jak and Torn had walked up to where we were: they too, were staring at me, their features hard.

"We want answers," Torn snapped. "What the hell happened back there? Why did your brother turn into that beast and wreck the town? _How,_ Selik?"

"It's a long story." I replied wearily. I wasn't up for an explanation right now, being stressed out about the Zephyr's unconscious state and all that. I tried to head towards the stairs leading up to my bedroom, but Torn stepped in front of me, blocking my way.

"We can wait." He said, crossing his arms.

I sighed, giving in. "Alright," I muttered, sinking back into my chair. "But you need to _sit_. You guys look like statues at a temple standing up." Rolling his eyes, the ex-KG Commander dropped into a nearby booth seat, Jak and Terence placing themselves on top of individual stool cushions. I nodded approvingly and then paused, head cocked towards the ceiling, wondering how to begin my tale. A distant memory re-surfaced in my mind.

"Do you guys know about the incident that happened at the Racing Stadium in this city, about a year ago?" I asked the three men.

"Yeah," Jak replied, his tone guarded. "What about it?"

"Well, there was a similar event that occurred in Kras City a few years back," I explained. "Some racer lost control of his vehicle and ran into an Eco cart parked beside the track. Hardly anyone lived, and the area was shut down ever since because the whole place was severely damaged from the Eco explosion."

"I was told that my parents were there at the time, my mother being a spectator, my father a racer. Neither survived, and Zephyr and I were taken in by an old man. He became our guardian, and as we grew older, he taught me how to become an assassin, my brother a soldier. When our caretaker died, we split. I stayed in Kras and Zephyr went off to fight in a war at another city. We rarely contacted each other."

My voice softened. "So when I finally learned that my brother was badly injured and was being sent home because he was too weak to fight, I couldn't help but blame myself. I mean, I should have known that something would eventually happen to him, without me there. I went straight over to the transport station, frantic, begging the guards to let me through. And when I finally saw him…" I shook my head, unable to describe in detail what had happened in that moment.

"He had to stay in the hospital for almost three weeks before the doctors let him out," I continued. "And even after that, I still had to stay home and take care of him." A small smile crept across my face at the remembrance of the past. "I almost lost my job because of it. When he finally recovered, though, he never really was the same. He kept having nightmares, and would wake up screaming in the middle of the night. I'd have to get out of bed and calm him down, and it be hours after when the two of us finally went back to sleep."

"Almost a month after my brother came home, it happened." I shivered as memories flashed across my mind. "It was so sudden. One moment, we were at home, relaxing after a full day of work, a full moon in the night sky, and the next, I was running for my life, a wolf hot on my heels. It was my brother's very first transformation, with the beast's instincts in full control. The whole house was destroyed. I had to knock Zephyr out with a pan, tie him up and lock him in the closet." This, I may say, was _not_ the way I wanted to spend my evening.

"When I realized that the whole thing could happen again, not to mention what the authorities would do to my brother if they found out, I panicked. I decided to go somewhere safe and hide there until things calmed down and got back under control. Zephyr agreed. The next day, we packed up what we could carry and left. I'd heard from my brother, along with other people, that Haven City was a peaceful and welcome place, perfect for travelers." And obviously, I needed to reconsider my informer choices.

"So here we are. Happy now?" I asked the audience, who all nodded slowly, absorbing the new facts they'd acquired. "Good." I muttered, and then turned in the direction Jak and Terence were sitting.

"Now it's my turn to ask the questions," I said to them. "What happened in the bar while I was outside? And what were those…beings…you turned into?"

Both teens flinched at the word "being". Glancing at each other, they nodded. Then, Jak spoke.

"About a year ago," He began, his eyes staring at the floor, "There was a man named Baron Praxis who ruled Haven City. He was a tyrant, and he wanted to get rid of the Metal Heads that kept invading the town and killing people."

"Well that doesn't sound so bad," I said, but the blonde shook his head at me.

"He created a program called the Dark Warrior," He continued. "The plan consisted of using prisoners and criminals, along with people who had special skills, as test subjects to inject Eco into." I stared at him, speechless.

"I was one of their experiments." Jak said, "As a Channeller, meaning a person who can absorb and control any type of Eco, I was an ideal subject for the program and was immediately arrested as soon as I arrived in Haven City. I spent two years in that place before Daxter managed to get me out. But as a result of the Dark Eco trials, I was now able to transform into that beast that you saw earlier. I call him Dark." He grinned at the irony of the name. I nodded.

"I was also used in the Dark Warrior Program." Terence spoke up. I stared at him in shock, while Jak simply looked at him attentively. Guess he knew that already.

"I was arrested for stealing when I was ten, and was first used in the program as a normal subject. But soon, the scientists noticed that I was more tolerant of the Eco injections than other prisoners, so I was moved to another section of the prison and lived there. The people of the vicinity were a bit more valuable than regular criminals. 'Specials' were what the Baron called us. The tattoos were a way of distinguishing us from other test subjects." He twitched his left arm.

"And let me guess," Jak sneered bitterly, "You got the royal treatment, right? Less Eco injections and beatings? More food?"

Terence shook his head. "Nope, he answered. "It was the complete opposite. We got _more_ Eco injections, sometimes of two or three types of Eco a day. We were sometimes punished by the guards simply out of boredom. Other times, they did much worse." He shivered and fell silent. None of us said a single word.

"I spent six years in that prison before I was able to escape by myself." Terence said after a while. "Like Jak, I too have an alter ego. I don't have a name for it, though."

"Jak also gained his voice from the experiments, didn't you?" He added, looking at the blonde for confirmation. The young man nodded silently. I decided not to press him for details on the topic. Too personal.

"I nearly lost mine," Terence said, and Jak and I gazed at him in surprise. "The scientists tried to enhance my voice by using Dark Eco. Too bad for them, it didn't work." He explained. His amber eyes, staring at the window, caught a thin ray of the setting sun and flashed bright red. I repressed a shudder.

A moan reached my ears. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Zephyr stir slightly and walked over to him. His eyes cracked open, a normal dark violet, and gazed up at me in confusion.

"Sis…What's going on? Why does my chest hurt? What happened?" He groaned, trying to sit up. I pushed him back down and gave a quick explanation of what had happened to him. His face formed a shocked expression at my words, and he closed his eyes, lowering his head in shame. Tears trickled down his pale cheeks from beneath his eyelids.

"I'm so sorry," He whispered to Torn. "This was my entire fault."

"Wrong." A voice said. Raising his head, Zephyr and I stared at Jak, along with everyone else in the room. He was glaring at my brother with cold eyes, his jaw stiff. One hand was tightly clenched, as if he was suppressing the urge to punch my younger sibling. "It's not your fault and _never_ will be. Don't say that _ever_ again or I'll be sure to give you a beating." Zephyr nodded wordlessly.

Just then, Lazrael rushed in. Grabbing Torn by his shirt collar, he shook the redhead like a rag doll and yelled into his face, "What the hell happened in here while I was gone, for Precursor's sake?"

Torn quickly recovered from his shock. Shoving the lieutenant off of him, he snarled back, "Don't ask me! Ask _him_!" and pointed to Zephyr.

"I lost control of my wolf side," My brother explained, even before Lazrael had turned to him or asked a question. He stared at him, shocked, and then sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"You know we have to report this to the clan leaders," He said softly. My younger sibling nodded, understanding. "They have to decide the punishment."

"When do we go?" Zephyr asked.

"Soon. Probably in a few weeks." The lieutenant replied. Again, my brother nodded. I kept quiet, merely listening, and unable to object. Rules were rules. You had to follow them, no matter what. And unfortunately for my twin, I didn't make up his pack's laws.

"We'll worry about that later," Lazrael said. "Right now, you should rest. It won't help your wound to be standing up and moving around. In fact, we all should go to sleep. It's getting dark." Torn nodded in agreement, as did everyone else, and they all headed upstairs to their rooms. Zephyr was too weak to go anywhere, so he had to stay where he was. Running up to our bedroom, I brought some blankets and a pair of pillows. After giving a head rest and a cover to my younger sibling, I curled up on the cot that Tess had found in a storage closet.

"Night, Zeph." I called to my twin over on the other side of the room.

"Good night, Sel." He murmured sleepily, already starting to snore. I didn't blame him for his action. He was tired, injured and had been through a lot. We all have, and we were nearly killed in the process. But you know what? As long as were we all alive, I didn't care.

A small smile slipped across my face as closed my eyes and dozed off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, yeah, I know. Long chapter…Terribly sorry about that. I didn't intend for this one to be so long. And it's late too! You know what that means?
> 
> Terence: Yup! (Cracks knuckles and grins wickedly)
> 
> Me: Yeah...that. I'll try to update twice this month, but seeing as next week is SAT/STAR testing (Curses!) I doubt it. Oh, well. Did anyone catch a spoiler in this chapter? I deliberately put it in here. If you can't figure it out, I'll give you a hint: It takes place around Jak 2: Renegade. With that said, its time for my beating. I don't own Jak, Daxter or the rest of the cast. I only own Selik, Zephyr, Terence and Lazrael.
> 
> Terence: Ready for pain? (Is grinning evilly along with rest of Jak cast)
> 
> Me: Here come the bruises...


	12. Chapter 12

"Absolutely not."

"But sis!" Zephyr cried at me, pointing at the sun setting rapidly in the distance, its multi-colored glow casting faint shadows through the window, into the room. "I _have_ to go!"

"You're wounded," I pointed out. "I'm sure the pack leaders can make an exception."

"You don't understand," He replied, his tone slightly frustrated. "To not attend the selection of a new leader means a sign of great disobedience among the wolfish clans. I must be there. And besides," He added, "Lazrael needs to discuss what happened last week with the chosen clan leader."

"Oh fine," I muttered, sighing, "But I'm coming along."

"Alright," Zephyr agreed. "But you need to be careful. None of the wolves have any control of their other selves tonight, including me. What they do isn't their fault, and that includes hurting a human."

"Relax," I said, smirking and waving a hand at his warning. "I can take care of myself pretty well. No wolf is going to have me for dinner. I'll make sure of that." Zephyr nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating hard.

Grey fur shot out of his skin, engulfing his body from the tip of his nose down to his toes. His mouth and nose elongated, lengthening into a long snout. Hands and feet melted and twisted into large round paws, tipped with claws on each end. Razor-sharp, slightly curved fangs slid out from bright pink gums, shining menacingly in the bright light. A pair of long, jagged black horns jutted out of his skull, wings of a dull auburn color burst from his shoulder blades and a tail, laden with spikes, shot out from the end of his spine.

Its transformation complete, the wolf rose onto its paws and trotted out our bedroom door, headed for the stairs. I followed silently.

Downstairs, the bar was silent. Jak had gone off to Spargus earlier because of an emergency call from the city and Daxter had tagged along. Terence had been sent on a mission by Torn, who was currently at the Freedom League's Headquarters in another, farther part of town. Tess was busy behind the counter cleaning glasses, probably hoping that her boyfriend would return safe and sound. Lazrael was sitting near the entrance in his wolfish form. Seeing us at the edge of the stairs, he turned and walked out the door, my brother and I trailing behind.

People screamed and scurried out of the way at the sight of the two beasts and me, making our trip to the Air Train remarkably simple. Standing in front of the vehicle's rear doorway, we waited as it opened and then boarded. The ride to the desert was entirely soundless. None of us spoke a word, each of us occupied with thoughts on the event to come.

Fortunately for us, the desert broke the silence. I quickly mounted onto Zephyr's back. We would have to run to our destination since the screaming winds, blowing hard over the area, made it too hard to fly. As paws slammed against the soft ground and ears were laid flat over round skulls, the sun continue to sink into the earth, radiating beams of light in the color of dark purple and bright crimson.

Nearing the place where the Midnight Clan lived, we saw that the wolves were already prepared for the upcoming event. Dismounting from Zephyr's spine, I watched as my younger sibling and Lazrael trotted towards the broad circle that their pack members had opened, allowing the new arrivals to step in and take their place. I stayed where I was, a few feet away from the rest of the creatures present, keeping my distance so as not to be a distraction and merely watched as the affair unfolded.

In the center of the ring stood the two pack leaders. Both hadn't moved from their positions, waiting until the moment was right. Celan was sitting, watching his opponent calmly, and perhaps planning what he would do. Traiz was seated also, and he too was peaceful, probably thinking that he was superior and would win the battle easily.

No matter what they were thinking, I was sure of one thing: Neither would give up the role of chief easily.

Time passed slowly and with every minute, the area remained peaceful and quiet. Not one of the wolves dared to move and break the circle, the stillness in the air. Eyes shifted, paws shuffled nervously, tails thumped gently on the ground, but aside from those small actions, none of the beasts stirred.

As the last rays of the setting sun emitted by the fiery ball faded away, the sky dimmed, darkening to a navy blue. A few stars woke, twinkling brightly, spinning in the shady background. The pack ignored the change of day, familiar with its routine. They only wanted the thing that would truly determine their way of life.

Then, it came.

A snow-white mound peeked up from behind wide rocky mountains. Segregating itself from the colossal peak, it rose into the air, assuming the shape of a sphere. Floating lazily upwards, the white orb settled itself in the core of the pitch-black sky, where it shone brightly, immersing the whole desert in a sea of pure, and almost blinding white light.

All at once, the hushed atmosphere was gone. In its place was a small, but instantaneous change. The wolves began to twitch, to move. Their spiked tails hit the sand more vigorously; paws scraped harder, digging shallow holes into the soft ground, and their eyes, gazing at the scene with dull patience, lit up, gleaming eerily in the moonlight, shining with anticipation and eagerness, matching wide, mirthless grins.

There was no time to absorb the spectacle, for the fight had begun. Celan and Traiz were mere blurs of grey as they flung themselves at each other, fangs bared and claws exposed. A loud _thud_ rang through the air as the two wolves collided. Mouths opened and closed rapidly, sharp teeth biting into vulnerable flesh. Sharp talons dug into fur and were dragged across, leaving long, deep scratches and cuts. Menacing, defensive snarls and pain stricken howls rent the air as bones cracked, muscles ripped and hide torn from their bodies…

Then the two wolves split apart, each retreating into opposite sides of the unbreakable circle. Green met red in a glare filled with determination and pure dislike. Both beasts were panting hard, spittle dripping from dangling tongues, bodies curved, lowered into a crouch, paws spread, tails high. Blood spilled from various cuts and bites trickled onto sand and into open mouths, matting the dark fur.

"Weakling. You cannot win!" Traiz snarled.

"We shall see. Only fate decides who deserves to be the winner." Celan replied, his voice calm, ringing with confidence, despite the fact that he was losing, his body littered with far more wounds than his contestant.

Traiz sneered at his words. "Fate decides nothing!" He hissed. "Only the strong choose their own destiny. The rest are slaves of their own lives, forced to endure what others have planned for them since the moment of their birth…And I was meant to become the leader of this clan!" With that, he leaped at Celan, only to be met with a faceful of spikes from his challenger's tail. Snarling in anger and pain, the wolf swiped at the annoying appendage, claws ricocheting off the hard, steely points. To retaliate for the attacks, Celan lunged forward, fangs bared. His teeth sank into his adversary's wing, cutting through the layer of feathers to penetrate the flesh underneath. He jerked his head backwards sharply, forcing Traiz to fall forward. Quickly regaining his balance, the re-eyed wolf swung his tail, catching Celan on his side, which relinquished his grip on the flight limb and backed away, panting. Sensing his opponent's strength failing, Traiz ran forward. Unleashing a flurry of assaults, driven by rage and triumph, he continued advancing while Celan retreated.

Sharp nails flew through the air, snipping away grey fur and soft tissue, leaving four crimson rows on the skin. Celan's face twitched at the impact of the blow. Growling in lust and triumph, Traiz lowered his head and charged, his deadly black horns aimed at his foe's exposed throat…

Only to be met with another pair. A hollow _crack_ rang from the center of the ring as bone clashed upon bone and skulls slammed against each other. For a while, the battle remained that way as Celan and Traiz butted heads, pushing back and forth, trying to overthrow their enemy. Breaking the contact, the two wolves circled warily, and then resumed the fight, claws hissing across the air, fangs clicking as muzzles snapped open and close, red and green eyes gleaming hungrily for the desire to win.

Then came the final, fatal blow.

Celan's fangs closed around his opponent's throat and the sickening crunching sound as he bit down resonated all throughout the desert. Traiz's neck snapped, the bone breaking cleanly in half. The wolf's eyes widened in shock and then softened, his crimson eyes glazing over. His body stiffened for an instant, paws twitching and tail flaring out, and then relaxed. Jaws opened, releasing the carcass, which fell onto the sand with a soft _thump_.

The pack members, realizing the end of the battle, lifted their heads to the dark sky, to the bright moon. Howls, varying from a deep bass to a high-pitched whine, filled the air. The call signified everything that had happened in the previous event, to the preparation to the spill of blood and rise of emotions, to the justified, dignified killing of a fellow pack associate.

The resonance also signified represented their respect. It told life that something important had happened in front of her eyes, something that they and other animals worshipped and followed. The cry enlightened and emphasized sorrow, modeled feelings of merriment and mourning, talked of triumphs and tragedies…And described a death of a pack leader and the gain of a new one.

It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.

As the pack dispersed and disappeared into the cave with their new head, the sun rose, symbolizing a new day, a fresh time.

And the first thing that started my day was the ringing of my communicator.

Reaching into my back belt pouch, I pulled out the device and switched it on. "Selik here." I spoke into the receiver.

"Good. Then that means you haven't been eaten alive by wolves." A raspy voice replied on the other end.

I sighed, wishing that I actually _had._ "What do you want?" I snapped back.

"I have a job for you two," Torn growled. "Jak and the rat have brought down a Dark Maker ship that's been terrorizing Spargus…"

"And what, you want us to go fetch it?" I asked, interrupting his message.

" _No,_ " Torn answered, his voice sounding annoyed. "What I want is for you and your brother to go the place where the vessel is and help out the two people I've sent there to pick them up. Dark Eco may attract Marauders and they'll need some backup if that happens."

"What about Spargus?" I inquired. "Don't they need help repairing the city?"

"The Wastelanders can deal with the damage," Torn responded. "There's a Hellcat parked a few miles from where you're standing. You can use that to get the area where the problem is."

"Roger," I said, switching off the small handheld machine. Turning to Zephyr, who was positioned a few feet away in his human form and had been listening to the conversation, I said, "Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm back…And in pain...
> 
> Terence: Serves you right for getting the chapter in late. Don't do that again or else I'll hurt you even more.
> 
> Me: Whatever. This is the second to last chapter, so I won't have to worry about you for a while. (Sticks out tongue) Nyaaaahhh!
> 
> Terence: (Rolls eyes) _So_ immature...
> 
> Me: (Shrugs and turns back to computer screen) How was this chapter? I'm not good at adding details to fights, and I think I repeated a lot of stuff. Oh, well. Just a warning, THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL CONTAIN LOTS OF MAJOR SPOILERS TO JAK 3 so if you haven't beaten it yet, don't read it!
> 
> Terence: But then people won't know the ending!
> 
> Me: Oh, well. They'll have to beat the game first.
> 
> Terence: You're evil, you know that?
> 
> Me: Thanks. I have to go eat lunch now, so see ya! I do NOT own Jak, Daxter or the rest of the cast. They belong to Naughty Dog. I only own Selik, Zephyr, Terence, Lazrael, Celan, Traiz (Who's now dead), and the Midnight Clan.


	13. Chapter 13

The Hellcat descended slowly onto the desert, kicking up sand and dust in its wake, engines whining as they fought to make the landing smooth and gentle for the vehicle's riders, settling into the soft ground with a low hiss. Switching off the thrumming motor, Zephyr and I stepped out of the transport and walked towards the two people that were positioned a few feet away. One of them raised their head and turned. Seeing us, the person strode forward in our direction.

It was a woman. She looked to be in her early twenties, with short, flaming-red hair tied into dreadlocks, jade eyes that glittered brightly, and pale skin. A dark red top covered her slender figure, overlapped by a navy jacket: both ended right below her ribs. Blue pants obscured her legs, parts cut out that exposed her thighs, where a gun holster holding a Red Eco pistol was strapped on the left. On her feet were ankle-high combat boots colored indigo, along with gloves on her hands. Scarlet armor partly covered her knees and shoulders and inky-blue tattoos were etched upon her face, indicating that she was a Commander of the Krimzon Guard.

"You must be the new recruits!" She called out. Her voice was mellow, carrying the undertone of a stern instructor. Stopping in front of us, the lady extended her arm.

"I'm Ashelin." She said. I nodded and shook her hand, introducing myself and my brother. Walking back to her station, the woman beckoned for us to follow.

The winds lessened their harsh blowing, revealing the place where Ashelin was standing previously. A vehicle was parked in the center, and alongside it was the person who'd accompanied her out into the desert, a male. He was clad in brown garment that outlined his sturdy, heavily muscled body, with thick gray armor enveloping the cloth where his torso was, along with arms and legs. The protective covering was made by the tough hides of Metal Heads, shown by the spiked heads of the beasts from which his shoulder plate were fashioned from. A long, tan kilt was tied around his waist, held there by a yellow belt from where numerous pouches hung. His right eye, colored viridian, was narrowed against the sandy air, left eye replaced with a large, round monocle, its red lens gleaming brightly in the light of the setting sun, dark tanned skin blended into the surrounding landscape. What ever hair he had was hidden underneath his flat helmet. Clutched in his gloved hands was a weapon, a long, thin rod with a rifle-like trigger and the skull of a Metal Head wrapped around the muzzle.

"Hey, Ashelin. Who's the company?" The young man asked. His voice was deep, almost bass-like, with a hard, even tone.

"New recruits for the Freedom League." Ashelin replied.

"Welcome to the party, chili peppers," He said to my brother and me. "The name's Sig." I nodded, giving him our names in return.

For a while, the four of us did nothing, merely waited and looked around the desert. All the Metal Heads and Marauders had scattered, retreating into their lairs. Wind and sand swirled around us, stinging our skin and causing us to squint. So far, there was no sign of Jak or Daxter anywhere. Perhaps they were someplace else? If so, I hoped that they were alive and safe.

A sudden _boom_ reached my ears. Fire and chunks of metal from the Dark Maker ship in the distance shot up from the ground. Sand and gusts of wind sped towards us, driven by the force of the explosion. Hands raised, eyes closed and heads turned in an effort to shield themselves from the strong currents of air. I was almost thrown off my feet, and would have been if my free hand wasn't gripping the vehicle's side.

Slowly, the breeze died down, the sand dropping onto the soft ground where it belonged. Opening my eyes, I scanned the area. Everything was silent. Turning my head, I saw that my younger sibling was fine. Glancing at Ashelin and Sig, I saw them exchange a look and then set their gazes towards the front, where the detonation had come from. I knew the thought that they had exchanged, the same one that was lingering in my own mind: _Was Jak dead?_

The stillness continued. No one spoke a word; nothing appeared in our range of sight. Nothing but sand, wind, a few plants here and there…I was beginning to think that the two beings were truly gone.

Then, I saw them.

Among the howling, dusty winds, walking towards us with slow, sure steps, the remains of the Dark Maker Ship set in a huge, black pile behind them, two figures emerged.

One of them, a short skinny Ottsel with orange-yellow fur, parted his lips in a triumphant grin, his narrowed, bright blue eyes shining with pride.

The other, a tall, lean, muscular elf wearing Precurian armor, tugged down the red bandanna around his neck, raised the pair of goggles in front of his eyes and let a smile spread across his face, squinted cerulean orbs twinkling victoriously.

Jak and Daxter had survived!

Ashelin and Sig moved forward to greet them. I stayed where I was, deciding not to intervene and give the trio some privacy. Taking a peek over at my brother, I saw that he too was standing still, gazing at the scene solemnly. This was a surprise, considering the fact that he was usually celebrating at any special event, jumping up and down while cheering enthusiastically or doing a little, in-place jig.

Gripping his shoulder gently, but firmly, the ex-Krimzon Guard smiled softly at the hero, who glanced nervously at the touch and gave a small, hesitant, anxious grin in return. Feet shifted as the red-haired woman leaned in slowly… _and kissed him._

The contact lasted for only a few minutes, maybe even less, but the time must have seemed like forever to Jak. His sapphire orbs widened in surprise and then slid shut as he absorbed what was happening. Pale lips opened slightly, letting the lover's tongue slip through and meet with his own, roaming around each other's mouths. Oxygen was temporarily exhaled, knocked out by the passion and lust that the two were experiencing currently, leaking out from their jaws to dissipate into the warm air around them.

Sig was smiling contently at the scene, as though he was happy that his comrade had an understanding of romance at last. Daxter, positioned between the couple's legs, was smirking wickedly, probably thinking that this would make a good, humiliating story that he could tell to Torn and the others back at the Naughty Ottsel. Zephyr and I were grinning, amused by the spectacle.

At last, the two broke apart, each person trying to re-fill their lungs with air. Gazing at each other, Jak and Ashelin beamed. Then he straightened and, stepping around his companion and jade-eyed romance, he headed in the direction where my brother and I were.

Up close, the hero looked quite different. Lines of fatigue and weariness were carved into his face, making him appear older than eighteen. His blonde hair was matted and tangled, growing out of its original, short, pointed form and his blue shirt and white-tan pants were wrinkled, covered in ashes and dirt, the goggles around his forehead tied on crookedly, its sand-coated lens sparkling dully. Spots of pink littered his cheeks and upper top lip, remains of a blush that had came out during his kiss with Ashelin. Dark cobalt eyes were clouded over with pain and sadness, serving as a reminder of events that had taken place before, and after, Cyber-Errol's defeat.

Minutes passed, and he remained standing in front of me silently, struggling to figure out what he was going to say. His eyes met mine nervously, uncertainly, and in that single gaze, I knew what he wanted to tell, and nodded, understanding. Relieved, he gave me a grateful smile and then turned, running towards the place where Ashelin's Hellcat was parked, ready to take him back to Haven City. Behind me, Zephyr looked from me to Jak with a puzzled expression on his features, wondering what the unspoken message was. That was good. Some things were better left unsaid.

OOO

Trumpets blared, banners waved, and roars from the surrounding crowd filled the Arena. All eyes turned to the very center of the spacious room, where a massive ship, built out of pure, orange-bronze Precursor metal, sat. The vessel's inhabitants, three furry Ottsels, made the transpiring scene bizarre, and any average people in the place would have stared at the newcomers and laughed or teased them, thinking that the new arrivals were strange, that they belonged on another planet, had it not been for the fact that the trio of rodents in front of their eyes, believe it or not, were the ones they worshipped. Yup, the Precursors were Ottsels!

The being in the middle, a short, fat, bearded rodent dressed in light-green-and-gray robes with a sash tied around his waist and a Precursor-metal cap perched on his head, grasping a gemmed wooden staff, bowed to the people in front of him.

"Thank you, brave people of this planet." His voice, a light, airy tone, which carried a soft edge of elderly knowledge, resonated around the area. A broad paw lifted, gesturing to the people in front of him, and his eyes, dull obsidian, gazed upwards appreciatively into their faces. "Onin, Samos and all…Your strength and wisdom in these dark times give us reason to fight on."

In response to being recognized as a person who helped save his planet, the Green Sage shook his head and muttered "My life's work, it turns out, was spent searching for a bunch of furballs."

 _No kidding,_ I thought, smirking in amusement at the aged man's words. _Guess you better find a new hobby now._

To add a more positive reply to the rodent's words of gratitude, Pecker the moncaw, perched on the throne Sig was sitting on, and who'd accompanied the old, blind, mute soothsayer, translated her sign-language in a squawking, Spanish accent: "Onin says it is a great day for the universe!"

Nodding, the Ottsel Leader turned to the person standing directly in front of him. "Jak," He said, voice laced with pride, "You are the greatest of heroes. You have turned the tide against the Dark Makers, and together, we will win this war."

"But dude," Another rodent positioned next to him warned, spreading his arms out wide. "There are, like, _way_ more challenges in the future!" The Ottsel was quite tall, wearing a high-collared white shirt with elbow-long sleeves and a wide sash tied around his stomach. Short, baggy pants in a shade of gray-green obscured his legs, and his wrists, ankles and neck was adorned with bands made of Precursor metal. His bright orange and yellow fur was streaked with dark brown, and a small goatee sprouted from his chin. A voice that was deep, punctuated with a low, lazy drawl, emitted from his mouth.

"Duh!" A buck-toothed Ottsel flanking the Leader's left side chimed in. He added uncertainly, his tone slow and carrying a slight lisp, "…Or was it the past?" Like the Ottsel Surfer, he had on a long-sleeved, white shirt with a turtleneck collar that ended right below his stomach. A belt made out of Precursor metal looped around his long, baggy, gray-green pants, in place of a sash, and a helmet, shaped in the form of an egg half, was perched on top of his furry head, covering his eyes and making his ears lay back.

"Yes, yes. I was getting to that!" The Ottsel leader informed his partner impatiently, waving his hand in a calming gesture.

 _Huh? What do they mean by that?_ I wondered, cocking my head to one side in puzzlement. Was Jak going to time-travel? Directing my gaze from the Arena to my brother, I was met with the sight of him in thought, his head tipped upwards and to the right, violet eyes peering at the ceiling, pondering. Pale fingers toyed with the amulet dangling from the choke-necklace fastened securely around his neck. A few days before the ceremony, Zephyr and Lazrael had met with Celan and the rest of the Midnight Clan to decide his punishment for loosing control of his wolf side in the city. The consequence ended up to be pretty minor: He had to wear a necklace for a few months, possibly even a year or two, until he had complete and total control of his wolfish self. The band around his neck was actually some sort of collar, designed to suppress his powers by a bit with the small amount of Yellow Eco contained inside. Zephyr himself had to keep his wolf side in check, and Lazrael came over to the Naughty Ottsel every once and a while to see how he was doing. So far, nothing had happened.

Obviously, Jak had another interpretation at what the gods' conversation was about. Crossing his arms and rolling his eyes, he scoffed, "More adventures? Where have I heard that before?"

Aware that the blonde had overheard what he and his brothers had said, the Ottsel Leader stated, "We need heroes like you to help us protect the universe, Jak."

"Then you can call me by my first name," he replied almost coldly, voice tinged with sadness. He diverted his gaze as he spoke the next few words. "By what my father called me. Mar."

The breath caught in my throat. My eyes widened, and my mouth opened slightly, astonished. Was it possible? I had heard of a city that was built by one such as him. But it had happened centuries ago! How could someone not even past his teens, make an _entire_ _metropolis_? He who inspired the production of Spargus and Kras?

Beside me, Ashelin voiced my thoughts in her own way. "Wait. Jak is Mar? _The_ Mar?" she cried. The person next to her nodded. Delicate features, shrouded in snow-white face paint, along with mustard-yellow and bright orange markings, confirmed that the being was a woman, dressed in a grey-green robe. Precurian armor overlapped her upper torso, arms and shoulders, with thin black tubes woven around her entire body, strapped against her long sleeves, a ventilation system pumping cool air across her skin to battle the intense heat in the desert. The pipes ended at the top of her head, attached to a cap that hid any hair that she had. The only physical quality that was left out in the open were her eyes, colored a dark ruby-red, and radiating wisdom well beyond her years. Her name was Seem, as I remembered, and she was the head monk of the Golden Order over at the temple a short distance away from Spargus City.

Back at the center of the Arena, the ceremony continued. "Come then, Mar," The Ottsel Leader said. "No time like the present." The hero nodded and walked forward. After a few steps, he paused, as if remembering something, and turned, directing his words to the people behind him. "You coming, Dax?" He inquired.

"Naw, I got all I need right here, baby," The rodent replied, and then added, "But if you need me, and I _know_ you will…" He sighed contentedly, laying his furry head against Tess's leg. "You know where to find me."

Smiling, delighted by the contact, his girlfriend squealed, "Ooh, Daxter! My little hero!" and rubbed his tummy affectionately.

The Ottsel Leader nodded, putting the words to heart. "We owe you much, Daxter," He said, his voice filled with gratitude, "For all you've done. For your bravery in the face of danger, we shall grant you your deepest desire."

The little rodent leapt to his feet at the statement. Glancing downwards and from side to side, considering what he truly wanted, the Ottsel decided. "You know," He remarked, "I could really use a snazzy pair of pants…like yours!" He put in quickly.

Hmm…Perhaps he didn't wish for mere simple, plain pants, like a normal elf's? Did he want to be known as a god like them? I laughed softly, realizing what I'd thought. Of course! He _was_ a Precursor, after all. And he did have a sense of dignity. Maybe running around naked for three years hurt his pride. Although it was strange, seeing a clothed creature…What would he look like? Most animals didn't care about fashion, much less if people could see their private parts. Then again, most animals weren't once human.

Turns out he didn't look so bad. Aiming his staff at the being in front of him, the Ottsel Leader let loose a beam of concentrated energy. In a bright, almost blind, momentary flash of light, a pair of baggy denims appeared on his lower torso. Daxter grinned slyly, spinning around and waving his tail happily, which was also covered in the rough material.

"Wow!" Tess cried. "Those are sharp! I wish I had a pair just like that!"

"Be careful what you wish for…" The Ottsel Leader cautioned. Then, before anyone knew what was happening, he directed another ray of energy straight at the blonde!

The shaft of light hit the girl head-on. When the burst faded and the sparks died down, everyone stared at her, shocked. Instead of being elfin, Tess had turned into an Ottsel, dressed in a miniature version of her outfit!

Her boyfriend, however, didn't seem fazed. Whistling sharply, he pulled the female rodent to her feet, saying, "Don't worry, honey. You get used to it. Oh, and you might want to shave some parts. Trust me on that." As he said these last few words, his arms wrapped around her waist, drawing her closer to him. Smiling at each other, Tess and Daxter began to lean in, angling their heads so that they were in a better position for what they were about to do, their lips parted…

"Hey!" Startled, the couple halted. Gazing at Jak, they saw that he was grinning.

"Thanks for everything…partner!" He finished. The doors to the ship began to split, revealing the ship's interior. Nothing could be seen of it but bright light.

Next to Ashelin, Seem clasped her hands in a prayer and bowed slightly, saying, "You are a great hero, Daxter." Her voice was hushed, almost whispery.

Possibly hearing what the monk had said, the rodent bent and cried, "This is going to be good! They think I'm a god! And they're right!" Tess crossed her arms and shook her furry head at him, amused.

A sudden cry rose up from the surrounding crowd. "Our hero!" I spoke the words too, as did my brother. Both of us knew that this was going to be the last time we saw the blonde.

Standing on a platform not too far from the large transport, a newly changed Ottsel Veger sighed. "This is going to be a long trip." He muttered, stepping forward. A boot stomped down on the rodent's tan tail, preventing him from going any farther. Large, beefy hands seized the unfortunate animal by the waist, lifting him up to eye level of its owner.

"Where do you think you're going, little bugger?" Kleiver growled menacingly. "I've decided I want me own sidekick, and _you've_ been nominated." Ignoring the Count's hand waving in front of his nose, trying to blow away the stinky breath emitting from his mouth, the man brought his hand up onto his left shoulder, dropping the Ottsel unceremoniously onto the protective armor.

"We're going to be a great team," Kleiver declared and then added threateningly; raising a fist, " _Just_ don't make me angry." The rodent flinched, terrified, and I laughed at the movement. It was the perfect condition for him as payback for what he'd done.

Inside the ship, standing at the edge of the entrance, the Ottsel Leader said, "Are you ready, Jak? We have something to show you."

"What?" The hero questioned, curious.

Smiling, the fat rodent gazed at the ceiling, at the sky lying beyond it, and whispered mysteriously, "The universe!"

With a hiss, the bronze door closed. Blue fire shot out from under the vessel, propelling the craft and its passengers upward, and smoke trailing behind. Heads tilted back, staring as the transport left the Arena and with it, its travelers, one of which who'd saved their world from utter destruction by Dark Makers, despite the darkness inside himself.

The inner darkness that was now balanced with a glorious light, and had finally been put to rest.

I was going to miss the guy. Everyone else was, too. But you know what? As long as he'd found peace, I was happy. The planet was safe, right? All's well that ends well.

Still…it was going to be tough living life without him. And who was going to be the new hero? Mar hadn't exactly left instructions behind about how to _keep_ the world serene…and he hadn't left behind a child prodigy, either, now that I thought about it. Heck, he hadn't even gone pass the _kissing_ stage! How in the name of all things holy were we supposed to defend ourselves from another alien invasion?

A movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Turning my head, I saw a person emerge from behind a pillar and stride towards the bench where Tess and Daxter were standing. It was a male, about eighteen or so, with short, pointed blonde hair and bright cerulean eyes, dressed in Precurian armor. And who also had an alternate identity.

I smiled.

Guess the hero was back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is, by far, the _longest_ chapter I've ever written for this series…But at least it's the last one! I finally finished it! (Dances)
> 
> Terence: Yay! Her reign of terror is over!
> 
> Me: Hey! What do you mean by 'reign of terror'? I didn't treat you that bad!
> 
> Terence: Let's see…You send us into suicide missions, you nearly got Zephyr shot to death by idiotic Freedom League Guards, and you turned Jak and me into Dark Eco Freaks who nearly destroyed the whole city! And you said 'didn't treat you that bad'?
> 
> Me: Okay, maybe I _did_ go over the top with this…But at least Zephyr's _alive_!My original plan was going to end up with him dying!
> 
> Terence: And subject everyone else to endless torture sessions?
> 
> Me: No! In case you didn't know, this is set during _Jak 3_ not _Jak 2_. The Eco Treatments are over already, since the Baron's dead!
> 
> Terence: Unless you decided to have this turn into an AU fic.
> 
> Me: Oh, shut up. How did you like this series? Should I do something like this again, or no? I really want your input on this. Please review! I'm planning to write another series this summer; I need all the help I can get.
> 
> Terence: Yeah, help in a mental institution!
> 
> Me: Oh, just _be quiet_ already, will you? My next series isn't going to be a sequel to this (I haven't actually thought of a logical plot for one), so you don't need to worry about me beating you up, or anyone else. Though I might include a few of you in it…
> 
> Terence: Here we go again… (Cries)
> 
> Me:(Rolls eyes) Whatever. Thanks to Bandit-sama, Corad and Bijoux, Imaginator06, soothingly sung, Paradise Eco, and brokenwolf13 for reviewing! Your comments are well appreciated! Well, see you around! (Waves)


End file.
